COVID-19 Daily News Digest – June 13, 2020
Northern Ontario fly-in First Nation faces ‘crisis within a crisis’ after second COVID-19 case
“He’s an old man that doesn’t travel…. A lot of relatives come and pay him visits,” said Yesno.
“Somebody would have to carry that virus into that home…. Somebody infected him and it’s probably a case of an individual that is probably healthy carrying the virus.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/fn-covid-case-1.5610517
Interim payments issued to Sixties Scoop survivors in the wake of delays caused by COVID-19
Despite the deadline suspensions in place to respond to COVID-19, the claims administrator is working diligently to process claims, and where possible, approve them. Survivors whose applications are approved in the weeks and months ahead will also receive the interim payment.
Government of Canada announces funding for Indigenous tourism sector
“The Indigenous tourism sector is particularly vulnerable to economic effects of COVID-19,” read the statement, stating that $16 million of the new funding will go to the Indigenous tourism industry as a stimulus development fund administered by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.
Brian Schmidt: UNDRIP is good but Canada needs a better way to implement it
The main question is around the principle of “free, prior and informed consent” for resource projects and whether or not the requirement to obtain consent effectively provides a veto for every First Nation, Métis and Inuit community in the country. Government and Indigenous leaders have said it does not. That is reassuring, especially for linear projects that can cross dozens or even hundreds of territories. But from a legal standpoint it is meaningless: the text of the bill itself provides no clarity on this important issue. The bill does not define consent. To many of us in the industry, this guarantees that sooner or later the issue will end up in court.
Chef calls Indigenous Food Lab ‘a necessity for our future’
“Our real goal with Indigenous Food Lab is working with tribal communities, starting in our vicinity and helping them to develop their own Indigenous foods entity for their community. That could be something like a catering operation or a full-scale restaurant if they have the means.”
Indigenous Services eyeing Canadian trial of antiviral drug that could prevent COVID-19
“Recent studies suggest favipiravir may have potential utility for the treatment of COVID-19,” wrote Keith Conn, assistant deputy minister for regional operations at FNIHB, in a June 5 letter to Assembly of First Nations Manitoba regional Chief Kevin Hart.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/drug-department-trial-1.5610093