COVID-19 Daily News Digest – May 28, 2020
Montreal’s reopening increases COVID-19 risks for homeless, says Indigenous coalition
“We are uncomfortable with Quebec’s decision to proceed with deconfinement measures whilst the spread of the virus in our sector is only beginning to peak,”
Loosening confinement measures could “dramatically increase the risk of contamination,” the coalition said, urging Quebec officials to pay more attention to how the pandemic affects marginalized communities, such as the homeless.
Sask. has most Indigenous COVID-19 cases in Canada, two different counts find
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller tweeted on Monday that there had been 171 recoveries in reserves across Canada.
“What we’ve found is that number is not sufficiently reflecting the realities of what’s happening with the number of Indigenous people that are contracting COVID-19,” she said.”The federal government is drastically underreporting the number of cases.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/indigenous-covid-19-case-numbers-lead-nation-1.5587386
DFO officer crosses COVID-19 checkpoint at Listuguj First Nation, prompting call for better communication
“I told [one of the officers] that you’re not supposed to be here,” said Jacques.
“First of all, we have a lockdown in this community … and I told him you have no jurisdiction here. You have to leave; you have to get out of here right now.”
The lockdown measure requires visitors, no matter their employer, to seek and receive permission from band authorities to enter, and they can visit only by appointment.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/listuguj-dfo-covid-19-checkpoint-1.5586518
Dozens attend pop-up COVID-19 testing centre, officials plan more in the future
“There was some obvious fear for going out and getting tested at regular places, but they feel like they didn’t have a whole lot of access,” explains Lee Ann Hunt with the KW Urban Native Wigwam Project.
“They wanted a place that was culturally sensitive and appropriate, safe.”
Indigenous leader calls for help in Brazil’s biggest reserve
“It is the government’s obligation to take care of our land, our community, give us help, care, even more now because this disease is killing a lot of people. Our request is to be isolated in our village until the government or the health ministry say there is no more COVID-19,” he said.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/indigenous-leader-calls-brazils-biggest-reserve-70919573
We need a response to Covid-19 crafted alongside indigenous peoples
Their active participation is essential in the design of all medium and long term strategies to support their survival, limit deforestation, and foster a healthy environment, thereby strengthening pillars of our planetary health and the survival of humanity.
High rates of COVID-19 on American Indian reservations – water and language barriers affect risk
Along with household plumbing and language, overcrowding has been identified as a potential infection risk factor. However, at least early in the pandemic, overcrowding – defined as more than one person per room – was not related to COVID-19 incidence on American Indian reservations
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/wkh-hro052620.php
Opinion: First Nations ready to help rebuild the economy
As we navigate through this crisis and push the reset button on how we do things as a society, it is my hope the provincial and federal governments recognize First Nations’ key role in economic recovery like never before.
In this time of economic recovery, unlike those energy companies fleeing south of the border, First Nations are here to stand with Albertans; we are here to stay and invest in our home.
Chief says Manitoba First Nation going ahead with powwow despite public health orders
“”Canada must not and will not prohibit these important practices,” Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said earlier this month after RCMP were sent to a sun dance ceremony in Saskatchewan.
Any decision to cancel or postpone cultural practices remains up to community leadership, Indigenous services spokesperson Martine Stevens said in an email. First Nations leaders and ceremonial organizers are given information about COVID-19 public health measures.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/powwow-covid-19-manitoba-1.5587952
Group helping youth in remote First Nations hopes to keep connection alive through COVID-19
neese-Nash said the concern is youth who live in remote communities, and have to physical distance from their friends, may find their lives become even more isolated. She said some do not have Internet or phone access, and she has worries about life becoming very lonely.
First Nations doing ‘amazing job’ of protecting citizens says Federal health minister
“We’ve taken action to ensure communities have personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as making sure that we understand if communities need additional health care professionals or expanded existing nursing contracts, for example,” Hajdu says
Government view of crises excludes First Nation
I won’t rehash my analysis of how little these amounts are but I stand by my previous point that when broken down per community, this amount pays for a couple ventilators, a truckload of masks and sanitizer, and maybe one or two health care workers – that’s it.
Elder blasts ‘extremely racist’ parole board after assistance program put on hold
Because of COVID-19 the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) no longer offers elder-assisted hearings for Indigenous inmates seeking early release from penitentiaries, forcing people to choose between postponing the hearing or proceeding without access to cultural and spiritual support.
“There’s no reason why, absolutely no reason, why they’re not doing it. To me, it’s against the (inmates’) human rights,” he said from his home in Kitigan Zibi, an Algonquin community on unceded land less than two hours north of Ottawa.
Domestic violence ‘an epidemic,’ advocate says after 2 Indigenous women killed in Winnipeg during pandemic
Shelters, particularly those in rural and northern communities, have had “a huge challenge trying to be able to accommodate and get the help that people need” during the pandemic, she said, as critical places like shelters have had to make adaptations to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/indigenous-victims-domestic-violence-homicides-1.5574176
Museums in Alberta looking for beaded masks and other COVID-19 pandemic themed articles
“I think it’s amazing what’s going on in terms of language revitalization, land based learning, some communities are taking their youth out on the land, using the language as their gathering,” says Parry. “To find those nuggets in these times, that’s what’s getting a lot of us through.
For Indigenous People, Covid-19 Has Echoes Of Colonization
A young Navajo teenager went viral recently with his clear and devastating description of how the coronavirus was ravaging his nation within the framework of the history of colonization.
Jade Begay places the current pandemic plaguing Indian country within the framework of colonization and European germ warfare that devastated tribal nations historically
https://freespeech.org/stories/indigenous-covid-19-colonial/
Saskatoon technology enlisted to help vulnerable Indigenous women
When pressed, they send an alarm to the person’s selected contacts. If the contacts don’t reply in two minutes, the alert goes to 911, complete with a GPS location.
“Being able to have that emergency button when you’re in a situation you’re not comfortable with is a huge safety benefit for Indigenous women,” Buckley said.