COVID-19 Daily News Digest – November 29, 2020
Pine Creek FN second community to get high-speed internet
Clear Sky Connections (CSC) is launching Pine Creek FN to improve communications within First Nation communities during serious events and emergencies like natural disasters and the COVID-19 outbreak.
The tool will also provide training opportunities for the community to understand and identify credible COVID-19 online news sources and assess information online while using media technologies such as smartphones, email and landline alerts.
‘Our people have seen plagues before.’ An Indigenous school in northern Ontario is facing the challenge of COVID.
It’s a long-held tradition among the Ojibwe to disperse the negative energy before the annual fall feast, and at Gaagagekiizhik, where she teaches Indigenous youth about their culture they are reminded of a new challenge to ensuring the survival of their way of life.
“There were so many barriers for what I was trying to do,” says Lillian. “Anything to do with land-based learning, I couldn’t bring it into the classroom.”
The Swain sisters say COVID-19 has presented one opportunity. The ultimate goal of staff at Gaagagekiizhik is to adapt the Ontario curriculum and return to the language and culture as it was originally taught — in nature.
Care home outbreak in Opaskwayak Cree Nation over after 27 residents fully recover from COVID-19
Onekanew (Chief) Christian Sinclair said one resident of the Rod McGillivary Memorial Care Home passed away and 27 others have fully recovered.
“It provides a lot of relief and comfort for our membership,” Sinclair said.
“It’s now just making sure that it doesn’t get out of control again … and learning from this as they move forward.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/opaskwayak-cree-nation-covid-19-outbreak-over-1.5820913
Lockdown help: A breakdown of provincial and federal assistance available
A list of programs and subsidies for people and businesses in Ontario
Federal Indigenous Community Support Funds — For prevention, preparedness and response to COVID-19, the deadline is Dec. 31, 2020.
Nutrition North Canada — Added an addition $25 million to increase subsidies for families, the deadline is Dec. 14, 2020.
Fort Smith teenager, home from school, curates new museum exhibit
The 19-year-old history student from Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is supposed to be studying in Edmonton at The King’s University, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s home in Fort Smith.
The sudden departure of a curator left the museum short-staffed and without a concept for their basement space, which is normally used for temporary collections.
So, Wiltzen came up with several options for the museum’s newest exhibit — but the one focusing on the relationship between Indigenous people and the land came out on top.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/fort-smith-teenager-curates-new-museum-exhibit-1.5818162
Newsroom Ready: Feds pledge $542M for Indigenous family services
The federal government is sending $542 million to Indigenous groups to help them set up welfare services for children and families. Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said the new money is for everything from research and expert advice to consultations on how those Indigenous governments will establish and run their own child and family services, as well as to support their negotiations with provincial and federal authorities.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/newsroom-ready-feds-pledge-542m-213700142.html
As November Ends, COVID-19 Continues to Threaten BC’s North
Over the past week, daily new cases in the Northern Health Authority have consistently reached above 20, hitting a new high of 35 on both Wednesday and today. That’s a marked difference from earlier in the year and even the first half of this month, when new cases sat around a handful a day.The North’s spike in numbers can only be partially attributed to an outbreak announced last week at LNG Canada’s processing facility, which is currently under construction in Kitimat. As of Friday, 43 employees had tested positive for COVID-19, an increase of two since Monday.
Without more detailed data, it’s impossible to know which areas in the North are seeing the highest increase in cases. However, school exposures reported in the North might give an indication: exposures grew from eight on Thursday to 13 on Friday and were all reported in the Interior and the northeast regions.
https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/11/27/COVID-Numbers-Continue-Threatening-Northern-BC/
Coast Salish Christmas Craft Market Goes Virtual for the 2020 Holiday Season
Due to COVID-19, the decision to transition the event online was made in the summer. The museum has a webpage where links are provided to vendors’ social media and websites. Customers can explore a variety of items via photo gallery and then contact the vendor directly if they’re interested in inquiring about or purchasing a product.
“It’s definitely a privilege. I’m excited because I’m just starting off in my journey,” says Elinor Atkins, a freelance artist and second-time participant of the Christmas craft market. “I’m an emerging artist, and so any kind of opportunity for exposure is amazing, and especially as an Indigenous artist, I think there needs to be more representation.”
Land-based STEM consensus found after national forums
“We really found that there is a national consensus on the importance of bringing this into the school system. Certainly there are challenges, but the benefits far outweigh those challenges and that there is huge opportunity here for Indigenous learning to actually really contribute to the future classroom,” Doug Dokis, Actua’s Director of Indigenous Youth in STEM (InSTEM) program, said.
Dokis explained that with COVID-19 shutting down schools and creating other problems the education system is scrambling to find ways to create safe classrooms.
“A lot of those conversations are revolving around more outdoor experiences for kids and what we are saying is that Indigenous land-based … models are ideal for aligning with school systems and existing programming and building that out,” Dokis explained.