Poverty Underlies First Nations Health Issues, National Chief Phil Fontaine tells Health Council of Canada

OTTAWA, Nov. 11 – The Assembly of First Nations National Chief, Phil Fontaine, discussed issues impacting the health and wellbeing of First Nations families and communities with the Health Council of Canada yesterday.

National Chief Fontaine said that despite the significant progress made by the First Nations in Canada – 30,000 aboriginal students enrolled in university, 250 doctors, up to 2,000 lawyers, 36 judges and 20,000 small businesses – the deep and persistent manifestations of poverty and the lingering effects of residential schools on both physical and mental health are major problems.”The biggest concern of First Nations is not wait times, it’s getting health services to our communities,” said National Chief Fontaine.

He characterized a number of added pressures, citing 103 First Nations communities under boiled water advisories, 40 without schools and another 80 communities with schools in gross state of disrepair. “Having 27,000 First Nations children in care is another reality,” he said. “And that speaks not to a lack of parental love, but to the issue of poverty.”

Faced with soaring diabetes rates, incidences of fetal alcohol syndrome, suicides even among children, and entire families suffering from residential school syndrome being medicated rather than holistically treated, National Chief Fontaine declared, “We would like it to be different.”

The Health Council of Canada welcomed the Assembly of First Nations National Chief to speak at their council meeting in Ottawa. The Council shared the National Chief’s perspective of the issues impacting the health and wellbeing of our First Nations. The Council will continue the dialogue around First Nations health issues and is also committed to opening conversations with Canada’s Inuit and Métis populations.

A complete statement from National Chief Phil Fontaine can be found at www.healthcouncilcanada.ca.

Background

The Health Council of Canada, created by the 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal is mandated to monitor and report on the progress of health care renewal in Canada. Councillors were appointed by the participating provinces, territories and the Government of Canada. For information on the Health Council of Canada and to view past reports, visit www.healthcouncilcanada.ca.

For further information: or to arrange an interview, please contact: Pierre Lachaine, Health Council of Canada – Media Relations, Phone (416) 480-7085, Cell (416) 779-4532, plachaine@healthcouncilcanada.ca