Chiefs seek federal co-operation on health issues

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At an Assembly of First Nations confederacy meeting the first week of April, the chiefs called for a co-ordinated effort between themselves and the federal government to eradicate the social problems they say are imperiling the health of their people.

"Our people's health is in jeopardy. It is a national crisis that needs to be addressed now without further delay," said the assembly's vice chief for Quebec and Labrador, Ghislain Picard.

Picard and the other chiefs were united in a call for a new federal direction on economic development to fight poverty and disease on reserves. Delegates heard the now-familiar diabetes, AIDS and suicides statistics that provided the impetus for the call: First Nations' rates are two to five times the national average. The leaders make a clear link between the dismal health statistics and lack of economic opportunity, low education, poor housing and unfit drinking water for their people.

Picard said the 200 delegates passed resolutions calling for "relevant ministries" to work with the assembly on a comprehensive strategy to create healthy communities. There are signs the federal government has heard.

The chiefs were told AFN Chief Phil Fontaine recently got a commitment from Finance Minister Paul Martin to put together a committee of federal ministers to work with First Nations governments on an economic development strategy, which the AFN hopes to see incorporated into the 2001-2002 federal budget.

Jean LaRose, communications spokesman for the AFN, said recent talks between the AFN and the federal government have been focused on how "to build one of the pillars of the Gathering Strength initiative, which is healthy communities.

"You can't have a healthy community when you have a very high unemployment rate, anywhere from 60 to 90 per cent," said LaRose. He said the AFN no longer simply tries to get the Canadian government to build houses and meet escalating fiscal needs.

"What the national chief is trying to do, is [persuade the government it] must also give our communities the tools so that they can start dealing with those issues from within, and one of the ways to do that is to generate some form of economic activity, give the tools to generate wealth within the community, so it can then start to deal with issues without always having to wait for outside assistance," LaRose said.

Chiefs agreed they have to work on health initiatives and economic development "simultaneously." They are lobbying hard for the "infrastructure development opportunities" announced in the last budget, while continuing to work with communities on immediate health concerns.

"One will support the other," LaRose said. He added the challenge is that in many communities neither of the two approaches to creating healthy communities is in place yet.

What the AFN hopes Minister Martin's promise of an interdepartmental committee will do is to trigger substantial policy changes in government ministries that up to now have been dictating how First Nations can do business; changes enabling the many communities with already completed business plans to run things their way.

To get things moving, the AFN is looking for communities' input on what they want to see happen. He says even remote reserves may have access to natural resources that could at least "kick start" a process of renewal, and he used Manitoba forestry and housing as an example.

"The way the system works right now," LaRose explained, "they have to go through DIAND, who then goes out to a contractor in Winnipeg, who then buys the lumber from somewhere around Winnipeg and then ships it back north over winter roads . . . . So the lumber they have next door ends up being harvested by the non-Native community, shipped down south, treated . . . and shipped back to them at an exceedingly high cost."

He said if First Nations were provided with the tools to build their own housing, overcoming the overcrowding that contributes to health and social problems, i would also "create momentum within communities to move forward."