Canada’s Aboriginal Leaders say Prime Minister Fails to Respond to Calls for Aboriginal Participation at First Minister’s Meeting
Ottawa – Monday February 3, 2003 - Canada’s three National Aboriginal Leaders told an Ottawa news conference today the Prime Minister and Canada’s Premiers have let Aboriginal people in Canada down by shutting them out of this week’s First Minister’s meeting on Health Reform in Canada.
The Leaders of the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council said they have been trying for two months to participate with the Prime Minister and Premiers on Health Reform.
AFN National Chief Matthew Coon Come said, "We need to be there because Aboriginal people in Canada rank at the very bottom of health care status. We have the highest rates of disease and the shortest life expectancy of anyone in Canada."
Jose Kusugak, speaking for Canadian Inuit, said, "For two months we tried the quiet diplomatic approach, just to represent our people and in the end we are again dismissed and ignored. Again, we have to take our case directly to the public."
MNC Interim President Audrey Poitras added, "In recent years the Prime Minister has said much about developing a new partnership with Aboriginal people. How can there be any kind of partnership on this most basic issue if we are not at the table?" The leaders said the Prime Minister has failed to show leadership.
In a letter to Mr Chrétien in December, requesting participation at the First Ministers meeting, the Aboriginal leaders spelled out clear statistics on the desperate plight of Aboriginal People in Canada in terms of health care. They also expressed concerns with the Romanow Report and they made a commitment to contribute and work with the Prime Minister and Premiers to develop accountable, effective, and relevant health care delivery in Aboriginal communities across Canada.
The Prime Minister delegated Health Minister Anne McLellan to meet with the leaders and report back. That was early January, and as of today, there has been no formal response from the Prime Minister from that meeting.
"The Prime Minister has referred the matter to the Provinces and to us that is unacceptable. Our issues, our voice and our perspective must be directly represented at the table," says National Chief Coon Come. "The Prime Minister has not signalled to the Aboriginal People that he is serious about closing the gap on health status for Aboriginal People. He continues to exclude the Aboriginal leaders from serious discussions that affect us."
Jose Kusugak added, "It is the federal Government that has responsibility for Aboriginal health in Canada, but if the Prime Minister and the Federal Government have their way eventually we will become patients of the Provinces and Territories." Audrey Poitras, said."We are not going to resolve the Health Care crisis n our communities by shutting people out right at the very beginning of national health care reform and renewal.
The three leaders said what they are demanding is not unprecedented. The Constitutional Act of 1982 recognized the three Aboriginal peoples of Canada and their rights. Those meetings also set out the principle of Aboriginal inclusion in future First Minister’s meetings on matters that directly affected Aboriginal peoples.
Health care is a primary issue and concern for the Métis, First Nations, and Inuit peoples. The Prime Minister and Premiers must allow time this week to meet with Aboriginal peoples on these matters and begin developing the much talked about "partnerships" to begin addressing them.