COVID-19 Daily News Digest – October 6, 2020
Indigenous families explore cultural teachings while homeschooling during pandemic
“[The kids] are at their own pace. We don’t need to rush to go with the herd. They get to slow down and really understand the concept before moving onto the next thing,” said Forsythe.
The school day also includes incorporating Métis history and cultural teachings with help from the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF).
“We were teaching them the basics but I feel like this is really an opportunity for us to teach them how to be fluent in their own language,” said Beaulieu.
ONWA report proposes next steps for MMIWG national action plan
“We wrote this report to help the government, to say ‘here is a pathway, here is a plan you can take and implement as soon as possible,'” she said during a virtual press conference.
The report includes 13 recommendations that span across 28 systems, which include justice, health care, child welfare, education, and homelessness and housing. Several recommendations call for government funding.
“We need to be able to look at how we’re going to ensure Indigenous women stay safe during this second wave because in the first wave we’ve seen violence increasing in all of our communities,” she said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/onwa-indigenous-women-reconciliation-report-1.5750132
Ottawa to gather input on how to implement Indigenous Languages Act
The Department of Canadian Heritage said it will hold up to 40 virtual consultations with Indigenous groups across the country in the coming months—an attempt to replace the in-person discussions first launched last March that were eventually cancelled as part of COVID-19-related measures.
The Liberal government’s Indigenous Languages Act, Bill C-91, was passed in June 2019, accompanied by a budget of $333.7 million over five years.
Indigenous Peoples face challenges to effective participation in international climate policy forums
COVID-19 has prevented Indigenous Peoples from participating in person at the international climate change negotiations convened by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as these have been postponed or moved online. The presence of Indigenous Peoples at these negotiations ensure that human rights are central to all discussions, and also help reduce the possible negative environmental and social impacts of new international policies. Their perspectives are key to painting an accurate picture of what is happening on the ground in their territories, and how climate change is already having a significant impact on their way of life.
Brazil military fly doctors to test Amazon tribe for COVID-19
The Guajajara are best known for warrior teams dubbed the “guardians of the forest” set up to stop illegal loggers from invading their lands in growing numbers since environmental controls were relaxed by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
Indigenous and human rights groups such as the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi) and Human Rights Watch have criticized the government for reducing the SESAI’s scope and ignoring the plight of indigenous people in the face of the pandemic
Masks mandatory in Tk’emups public buildings
“The use of face coverings have shown to significantly reduce the transmission and exposure of the virus,” Casimir said.
Anyone who visits TTS offices, such as couriers, band members or staff from other buildings, will also be asked to complete a contact tracing sheet.
The band has been stockpiling personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies in preparation for the second wave.
https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/masks-mandatory-in-tk-emups-public-buildings-1.24214567
Anishinabek Nation leadership and youth honoured and recognized for contributions to Indigenous forestry
“It’s super important to understand that there are cultural values to these lands,” Corbiere says. “A lot of people don’t know and it is okay to get educated on it, especially within the environmental sector. So it is super important to have that within those programs.”
Little Grand Rapids COVID-19 cases self-isolating in Winnipeg, response team says
The majority of the 19 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Little Grand Rapids are self-isolating in Winnipeg hotel rooms, according to a member of the Manitoba First Nation COVID-19 Response Team.
It’s an effort to prevent the virus from spreading to family members living in close quarters on the remote northern Manitoba First Nation.
An outbreak was declared in Little Grand Rapids Oct. 4. The community, with a population of 800, was upgraded to red or critical. It has the highest case count so far of any First Nation in the province.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/little-grand-rapids-covid-19-self-isolating-1.5751619
Digital Health Initiative
As a response, we developed a mobile application (app), for IOS, Android, and the web. This app is developed to allow health directors to refine the questionnaire to reflect local community priorities. It also allows them to examine the data as it is collected from their local region. This data would be immediately accessible to health directors and be under their control. Every two weeks, the app prompts people in participating First Nations communities to answer a short set of questions on what is happening around COVID-19 in their community. The questions are holistic in approach, reflecting the physical, social, mental, and cultural dimensions of Indigenous health and wellbeing. In addition to tracking adverse impacts of COVID-19, the app & questionnaire will also document the benefits of the many proactive community responses.