Chiefs fast for better services

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In a quest for better First Nations health services in northern Ontario, First Nations chiefs took part in an 11-day fast that began on April 9 at the Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital.

Chief Paddy Peters and Chief Donny Morris of Kitchenuhmaykoosib entered the hospital and began their fast in the chapel. The chiefs took water only during their fast.

Chief Vernon Morris of Muskrat Dam and Chief Raymond Beardy of Bearskin First Nation replaced Peters and Donny Morris at the hospital after they were called home to pay respect to family members who had died.

"This is not one or two First Nations that face these issues, it's an entire area of First Nations people who need something done about it. We feel the strain of the deteriorating health services in our community and we want to continue what Chief Peters and Chief Morris began," said Chief Vernon Morris in a statement on April 16.

The fast ended on April 19. The four First Nations chiefs from northern Ontario fasted a total of 249 hours. They ended their fast several hours after a meeting with Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, but Fontaine would not take credit for the chiefs' decision.

"I suggested to them to eat something, but it was their decision. I told them it's a victory for them, that Ottawa has heard the message from the fasting chiefs," said Fontaine while at the Treaty 8 gala in Edmonton on April 20.

In his meeting with Chief Vernon Morris and Chief Beardy, Fontaine made the commitment that the AFN would take action to resolve the lack of health services in the Sioux Lookout zone, said Fontaine.

He pointed to the pre-scheduled visit by the federal Minister of Health, Allan Rock, on April 23, as a sign that Ottawa is ready to listen and deal with the health issues plaguing First Nations people in the Sioux Lookout zone.

"I've had a number of conversations with the minister on four main issues; that is the management at the hospital, the involvement of First Nations people in that, the personnel of Medical Services Branch and the lack of doctors and nurses," he said.

Fontaine suggested the lack of health services in the Sioux Lookout zone for First Nations contributes to the already dismal situation in northern Ontario, which boils down to the issue of the poverty that many Aboriginal people face.

The fast was a last resort stand taken by the chiefs to bring attention to the insufficient nursing services at nursing stations in northern Ontario's First Nations communities and the lack of doctors at the Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital.

The chiefs chose to fast at the hospital because it represents health in the northern areas, they said.

"Our station used to have nine nurses, but right now we have three for the 2,000 people in our community," said Alex Peters, a band councilor at Pikangikum First Nation.

The hospital intake area covers the region from the northern boundary of Ontario's Canadian Shield to the Hudson Bay lowland. There are more than 21 First Nations communities in the Sioux Lookout zone.

The emergency room at the hospital closed in July because of a lack of doctors and nurses. Since then the hospital has virtually closed down most of its services because of the shortage and that is affecting First Nations community health stations the hardest, stated Georgina Lentz, spokesperson for the Independent First Nations Alliance in Pikangikum.

"With only three nurses in the station available for only emergency services and because the delivery of health care services are totally lacking, there is about 150 people that have been on a waiting list for more than a year. That is why we decided to do something. Our chief wanted to keep it peaceful. It is a fast to get answers," said Peters, who fasted five days in support.

At least 20 people from the surrounding First Nations communities joined the chiefs. Some of the supporters positioned themselves outside the hospital and others pledged support from their home cmunities, said entz.

The chiefs specifically requested an immediate face-to-face meeting with the federal minister of Health, the Minister of Indian Affairs, Jane Stewart, and Ontario Health Minister, Elizabeth Witmer.

"Politicians are slow. That is part of how they work. I don't know when we will get some answers to this situation," said Peters.

She said there needs to be a commitment to the First Nations chiefs that the three ministers will address the health care crisis for First Nations people in Ontario.

Health services to northern First Nations communities have been in crisis since June 1998, and the Medical Services Branch has failed to resolve the crisis, stated Lentz. Medical Services Branch is the federal body responsible for First Nations health care.

Allan Rock, the federal Minister of Health, met on April 23 with a working group that was formed last fall at the Sioux Lookout hospital. According to reports, the goal of the working group is to resolve the outstanding issues affecting health service delivery at the hospital.

One of the members of the group is John Paul, director of the self government secretariat of Health Canada. Paul thinks the deteriorating health delivery services at Sioux Lookout are symptomatic of a larger problem that affects Canada as a whole.

"The shortages of nurses is an overall symptom of the nursing shortage in Canada. I think that Health Canada is committed to providing emergency health care services," said Paul, when asked if a health care crisis existed for First Nations in Ontario.

"We are working on a recruitment and retention strategy for nurses. It is a problem in the north," said Paul.