First Nations, Inuit, and Métis populations residing in Canada’s Indigenous territories have had a long and fraught history with the Government of Canada regarding healthcare services. This section outlines the racial, social, and medical history of Indigenous populations in Canada to explore future policies that can potentially mend the relationship between the Government of Canada and Indigenous populations.
Indian Act of 1876
The Indian Act of 1876 granted the Government of Canada with the unilateral responsibility to create legislation regarding all matters related to Indigenous territories and Indigenous personhood. Through this mandate, Indigenous healthcare fell under the jurisdiction of the Canadian federal government and became intertwined with Canada’s colonial endeavors to apprehend Indigenous peoples. As author Gary Geddes explains,
“the apprehension of sick Indigenous people was made legal by the Indian Act…declaring individuals contagious was a good means of control, keeping them out of trouble or out of circulation while the task of clearing land was underway.” (Geddes 2017)
The Act is still in effect today. Given its racial and colonial origins, the Indian Act of 1876’s implications on modern day health services in Indigenous communities poses a significant problem for Indigenous communities seeking better healthcare services.
Issues in the Healthcare System
- “Higher rates of mortality among Indigenous persons have been attributed to circulatory and digestive system diseases, cancers, motor vehicle collisions, substance use, and HIV.” (Benoit, 2017) Many of these factors are preventable with new medical technology; however, in Indigenous communities, the lacking healthcare infrastructure contributes to higher preventable mortality rates.
- Systemic racism in the healthcare system as healthcare professionals’ stereotyping of and stigma against Indigenous peoples results in disproportionate healthcare services for Indigenous peoples in comparison to their non-Indigenous counterparts.
- “Health and wellbeing of Indigenous people continues to lag behind that of the overall Canadian population in virtually every measure. Infant mortality rates are a recognized barometer of the health of a population and should be cause for concern in any community. In Manitoba, the infant mortality rate for First Nations is almost double that of non-First Nations. At the other end of the spectrum of life, the mean life expectancy for Aboriginal men is projected to be 70.3 years compared to 79 years for other Canadian men. Life expectancy for Aboriginal women is predicted to be 77 years compared to 83 years for other Canadian women.” (Gunn 2016, 5)
COVID-19 Pandemic
The lack of trust Indigenous communities have toward healthcare professionals and the lack of accessible healthcare services have significantly impacted Indigenous communities fighting COVID-19.
- As of 4/27/21, the First Nations reserves have a confirmed COVID-19 positive total of 26,983 cases, which surpasses of the rest of the Canadian population which has 26,953 cases. (Indigenous Services Canada, 2021)
- Closing into a specific case of Manitoba, research has indicated that the First Nations population accounts for the majority of positive and severe cases of COVID in the province, and that the age of death is much younger for Indigenous Peoples. (CMAJ, 2021)
- Manitoba First Nation population makes up roughly 10% of the province’s total population.
- The First Nations population accounts for 71% of the active COVID-19 cases and 50% of the patients in ICUs.
- The median age of death from COVID-19 is 66 years for First Nations people and 83 for non-Indigenous Manitobans.
Although the rate of infection and mortality is higher among Indigenous populations, vaccination rates are at a low due to distrust toward the Canadian healthcare system. To effectively confront the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples, the Government of Canada must focus on a restorative plan to rebuild their relationship with Indigenous communities.
Recommendations
- Repeal the Indian Act of 1876, while maintaining the clauses that protect the existence of Indigenous territories. The White Paper of 1969 proposed a resolution to abolish the Indian Act of 1876, but failed to gain the support among Indigenous communities because it did not protect the clauses: Constitutional Reference to Indian and Indian Reserve Land.
- Healthcare professionals must be educated on cultural competency, racial bias training, and Indigenous history in Canada. An example of educational training for healthcare professionals is San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training.
Watch the Lecture Video Below for More Information
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