“Total chaos” predicted if governments don’t step up on health

As Canada debates assisted dying, Ted Quewezance says it’s a concept Indigenous peoples are all too familiar with.

“We’ve lived with that for years,” he said. “The residential schools is assisted dying. Small pox (on blankets) is assisted dying. Health Canada policies are assisted dying. Indian Affairs policies are assisted dying. And what’s going on in our three communities and right across this country is totally outright assisted dying by the government authorities right cross this country.”

On March 14, Keeseekoose, Cote and Key First Nations declared a state of crisis due to an absence of health services. They called on both the federal and provincial governments to take action.

Quewezance, former chief of Keeseekoose and senator for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, says the three First Nations were spurred on to take action “because of all the deaths we’ve had.”

In 2014 and 2015, the combined communities experienced 200 deaths due to addictions, suicides, and methadone abuse, he said. The different levels of government need to act “otherwise it’s going to be total chaos.”

In a three-page letter sent to Health Canada Minister Jane Philpott, the chiefs outlined the urgent need to ensure that the treaty right to health, including “equal care, equal quality and equal health outcomes comparable to mainstream Canadian healthcare,” is recognized and upheld.

Equality of care and quality of care are both vital, says Quewezance.
It’s a message the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal recently delivered to the federal government. CHRT has directed the government to provide child welfare services to First Nations children on-reserve at a rate and quality comparable to what children off-reserve receive.
“I think that ruling will have a major impact to assist, but I tell you with a case like that … when is it going to be implemented?”

 “Five years’ time? Ten years’ time or on budget day? We don’t know that. And through experience, look at all the court cases we’ve won in this country, what benefit are they doing for us? Not very much.”

While the latest call to action has been initiated by the three Saskatchewan First Nations, Quewezance is quick to point out that the health crisis facing Keeseekoose, Cote and Key First Nations is not unique to them. It is a situation shared by First Nations throughout Saskatchewan and throughout the country.

Since making their call for help and outlining the lack of essential health services available, Quewezance says he has heard from numerous First Nations across Canada.

“I’d just like to tell First Nations across the country to stand up and let the world know the way our health care system is in their own communities,” he said.

Quewezance says he has yet to get a response from the federal or provincial health ministers, although he is aware that both the Prime Minister’s Office and Philpott have received briefings.

Quewezance says he is not optimistic that the health concerns of the First Nations – or any issues facing First Nations–will garner much attention in the upcoming provincial election. Saskatchewan voters go to the polls on April 4.