COVID-19 Daily News Digest – August 8, 2020
First Nations in Quebec doubling down as COVID case numbers go up
A recent survey in Quebec shows that one in four people in the province believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is a hoax. But for most, the threat of the deadly novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is very real. Many Innu and Mohawk communities remain vigilant in their fight to keep the virus out of their communities.
‘Life-changing’ $7.4M centre for T’Sou-ke First Nation
“As our economy begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that we build the crucial infrastructure communities need to be stronger and more secure than they were before,” Horgan said. “I’m proud to help celebrate this investment in building the T’Sou-ke Nation a much-needed community and health centre that will reflect their culture and help preserve their language.”
First Nation sets curfew after resident in close contact with confirmed COVID-19 case
“As soon as we received the notice, we followed our community’s COVID-19 plan that was created by our Emergency Response Team. We have been meeting regularly, following all updated guidelines, and working closely with our public health partners,” said Chief Bruce Archibald in a news release. “We’re prepared and on stand-by should the situation in Taykwa Tagamou Nation change.”
Thanks to COVID-19 cruise-ship rules, the coast is cleaner. Let’s keep it that way.
The West Coast waters of British Columbia are deeply valued by First Nations, residents and visitors. First Nations have been using sea resources since time immemorial and have relied on these resources for their way of life, food and commercial uses. What is a huge threat is what cruise ships are dumping in these waters, negatively affecting First Nations’ rights, ecosystems and food webs.
The Power of the White Man and His Symbols is Being De-Mystified
The mandate of the Zapatistas–“nothing without us”– takes on more life and certainty than before, not due to “academic fashion”, but because there can be no other world if we do not retake elements of the indigenous worlds in how we live. COVID reveals with pain and drama the unforgivable contradictions and injustices of the system that indigenous peoples have denounced for 500 years, without being heard. And now, instead of taking the “global pause” to rethink the future, the elites put all their energy into “getting back to normal” and “opening the markets without question.”
From great loss comes hope for couple offering youth ‘meaningful conversations’
“We create opportunities for Indigenous youth to learn and we always promote life in all of its goodness,” explains Robinson. She says losing Cyrah is the driving force behind their work, “to offer youth an opportunity to learn and connect with other people.” To the youth looking for a place to fit in or even just for someone to listen to them, Robinson says, “We want it to be known there are so many people that experience the same type of things. We want to inspire you and help you and offer support.”
Canada Energy Regulator names Indigenous advisory committee
The Indigenous advisory committee, which includes eight First Nations and Métis individuals from across Canada, is part of legislation the Liberals brought in last year to impose new rules for environmental assessments.
Cassie Doyle, chair of the Canada Energy Regulator’s board of directors, says the committee will not deal with specific projects or regulatory decision-making or provide advice on individual projects that go before the regulator for approval.
Federal environment minister supports giving N.W.T. a seat on oilsands oversight committee
The N.W.T. has asked for a spot on the committee that oversees the Oil Sands Monitoring Program, which is jointly managed by Alberta and the federal government.
“We have said to the [N.W.T.] government as recently as yesterday, I sent a letter back to the minister, that we will certainly raise that,” Canada’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told CBC Thursday.
Over a third of indigenous Canadians struggling to pay for essentials during pandemic
Released between April 17 and July 14, the four reports show that over 36 percent of indigenous survey respondents said that the pandemic had a “strong or moderate” impact on their ability to pay for essentials, compared to 25 percent of non-indigenous Canadians said they were similarly impacted. The reports also revealed that in comparison with the rest of the population, higher percentages of indigenous people say they are struggling financially, distrust the decision-making capabilities of the federal government, and have applied for federal income support.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/08/cain-a08.html
As many face pandemic without running water, Navajo urged to ‘lift each other up’
“People (here) call it a luxury to be able to have running water,” said Yolanda Tso, a Navajo Nation member and community advocate. “I don’t really believe that should be considered a luxury in this day and age — especially in this country.”
When we’re looking at Indigenous peoples’ rights, Indigenous communities around the world are the ones that are preserving all of our natural resources,” Lascoe said, citing the Navajo philosophy of “tó éí ííná” – “water is life.”
Yet, Native populations are “the No. 1 communities that are also deeply impacted by entrenched systems that have robbed them of access to those resources,” she said.
WHO confirms high Covid-19 transmission
WHO´s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned Tuesday the clinical trials conducted are encouraging. They do not necessarily mean that an effective vaccine will be available in the short term. ‘Several vaccines are in phase-3 of clinical trials and we all hope that effective vaccines will come out of them to help people not get infected,’ he said.
https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=58520&SEO=who-confirms-high-covid-19-transmission
Indigenous elder dies after 19-hour journey to hospital
“He was a great advocate in the struggle to preserve and perpetuate his people’s culture for future generations and a tireless activist against the effects of deforestation,” his family said in a statement. Chief Aritana Yawalapiti, who was 71, had been in intensive care for two weeks after being taken ill in his village in the Xingu indigenous reserve.