Culled narwhals help feed hungry in the High Arctic

People in a Baffin Island community say the bounty provided by the cull of more than 600 narwhal trapped in the sea ice near Pond Inlet has left them happier and healthier in time for the holidays.
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Stayin’ alive with high-priced hip hop

Ottawa and Iqaluit are pouring $400,000 into a program that aims to use hip hop as a way to promote health, reduce crime and prevent suicide.
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Toronto Film Festival Group picks Top 10 Canadian films of 2008

Two aboriginal movies made by Quebec filmmakers, one of which is an Oscar hopeful, have made the Toronto International Film Festival Group's list of the Top 10 Canadian movies of 2008.

Benoit Pilon's "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"), about an Inuit hunter being treated for tuberculosis near Quebec City, is Canada's submission for a foreign language film Oscar.
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Natives still suffer higher unemployment

Statistics Canada says native people still lag behind in the job market - even those with university and college degrees.
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See full report>>

Rise in female, aboriginal inmates alters prison population: StatsCan

A rising number of inmates at correctional facilities across Canada are females and aboriginal people, a change that poses a unique challenge for jails, a Statistics Canada report says.
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Eggs key to polar bear survival: study

Canada's vulnerable polar bear population could survive the effects of climate change by switching a significant part of their diet from seal meat to scrambled eggs, according to a new U.S. study that suggests snow geese nests along the Hudson Bay shore may become a key feeding site for the iconic Arctic mammal.
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Preserving aboriginal languages big challenge

That aboriginal languages worldwide are in serious trouble was apparent at a recent conference in Saskatoon to preserve and maintain languages.
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Should Nunavut turn down free medical help?

The Nunavut health department has said no thanks to an offer of free research on a lung disease that sends nearly a third of Nunavut children under six months old who live outside Iqaluit to hospital.
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Scientists predict seasonal ice-free Arctic by 2015

Ice in the Canadian Arctic is melting at such an alarming pace due to climate change that the North will be seasonally ice free in six years, according to a study released yesterday from a groundbreaking scientific expedition.
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Governor General Announces the Awarding of the Northern Medal to Ms. Bertha Allen, C.M.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced today that the recipient of the Governor General's Northern Medal is Ms. Bertha Allen, C.M. Ms. Allen will receive the award at a ceremony at a later date.
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Health care often inaccessible to Inuit: report

Inuit have far less contact with doctors than the average Canadian, particularly in the northern communities where few have access to hospitals, a new Statistics Canada report says.
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Inuit lung cancer rates soar

Lung cancer rates are about one-and-a-half times higher among Canadian Inuit men and two to three times higher among Canadian Inuit women than in Alaska and Greenland, Young said.
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First Nations dictionary released this week

First Nations communities in New Brunswick and Maine are celebrating the release this week of a Passamaquoddy-Maliseet dictionary.
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Alberta Métis sue province over constitutional hunting rights

Métis leaders who want the Alberta government to allow their people to hunt and fish for food on all unoccupied Crown land are heading to court.
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Jordan's Principle remains in limbo

Federal and provincial governments have failed profoundly to live up to their obligations in the year since the House of Commons unanimously passed Jordan's Principle to end jurisdictional disputes over social, education and medical services for First Nation children, advocates charge.
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B.C. First Nation says children taken due to housing crisis

A B.C. First Nation is demanding immediate action to deal with mould-infested housing that the community blames for a rash of pre-natal deaths, respiratory illness and child removals.
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Invest in community health, NTI urges

Nunavut needs to invest in community health to reduce its dependence on southern hospitals and expensive medical travel, says a new social development report from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
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Sixth Arctic caribou herd in rapid decline

A new study of one of Canada's largest caribou herds seems to confirm fears that, like other herds in the western Arctic, it is suffering a steep and mysterious population decline.
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2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards Winners

Country music sensation Crystal Shawanda led the field taking home five awards at the 10th annual Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a star-studded gala celebrating the best in Aboriginal music held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Full list of winners>>

National Aboriginal Achievement Awards announces its 2009 Achievers

Fourteen exceptional achievers, coming from diverse backgrounds, both culturally and geographically have been named recipients of the 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, the highest honour the community bestows upon its own achievers.
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Caregivers who look after children on B.C. reserves to be screened

The federal Indian Affairs department has launched a pilot project to conduct background checks on family members who look after native children on British Columbia reserves.
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First meeting of residential school survivors, commission postponed

The first meeting between aboriginal residential school survivors and the commission tasked with documenting their abuse has been postponed.
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Cote receives highest honour

Tony Cote, driven by his desire to make a difference in the lives of First Nations people, was honoured for his achievements on Wednesday.

He received the province's highest honour, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, for the role he played in creating many community, education, health and family services on his First Nation when he was the chief of the Cote First Nation from 1970 to 1978.
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Lawyers aim for quick pick of new truth commissioner

Lawyers trying to salvage the truth-telling forum on native residential schools hope to nail down a fast-tracked plan to choose its new leader on Thursday.
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IPAC And AFMC announce launch of four Indigenous health documents, Canada

On December 1st, 2008, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) will launch four key documents at the Delta Centre-Ville Hotel in Montreal to support the implementation of Indigenous health curriculum at all Canadian faculties of medicine, and increase the number of Indigenous physicians in Canada.
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'These are strongly linked cases,' Yukon doctor says of TB's spread

Ten cases of tuberculosis have been diagnosed in the Yukon this year alone, which the medical officer of health says is an extraordinary high rate of the disease.
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National chief tours mould-plagued native school, demands action by Ottawa

TOBIQUE, N.B. — It's been about a year since mould closed the Tobique First Nation's Mah-Sos School, but now parents are demanding action so their children can resume their education in a proper environment.
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Youth realize gambling risk

A group of young volunteers from the Timmins Native Friendship Centre has identified gambling addictions as a major problem and is making it a point to steer youth clear from any such problem.
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Global meeting in Toronto targets TB

Aboriginal leaders and health experts from 60 countries will meet Thursday in Toronto to craft a global plan to cut alarming tuberculosis rates among the poor.
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Campbell pushes Feds for housing money

Premier Gordon Campbell was in Ottawa Monday trying to convince federal and provincial leaders to embark on a "major initiative" to build housing for seniors, First Nations and the homeless.
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Fort Chipewyan First Nations reject cancer review

First Nations and health representatives for Fort Chipewyan in northeastern Alberta are rejecting a review of cancer cases by the Alberta Cancer Board before the results are even released.
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Six Nations woman honoured by Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean

A Six Nations woman has received a prestigious Governor General's commemoration of the Persons Case award.

Beverly Jacobs, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada for the last four years, was honoured last week at Rideau Hall, the home of Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean. Read More>>

Environment minister to hear Fort Chipewyan health concerns

Alberta's environment minister is heading to Fort Chipewyan on Monday to meet with Aboriginal chiefs and community leaders about complaints of high cancer rates.
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Yellowknife summit draws in Aboriginal concerns on water

Aboriginal leaders, scientists and environmental activists from across Canada are talking this week about water quality at a national summit in Yellowknife.
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Gap found in kidney disease treatment for Aboriginal Canadians

Aboriginal Canadians with chronic kidney disease may be twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for a potentially preventable condition compared with non-Aboriginal people, researchers have found.
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Inuit welcome Aglukkaq as federal health minister

Inuit leaders applauded Leona Aglukkaq's appointment to the federal cabinet Thursday, while expressing their expectation that the new health minister will improve health care in Canada's North.
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Program funds development of young Aboriginals across Atlantic Canada

When Health Canada first introduced a pilot project that would fund the early development of young aboriginals in Atlantic Canada it wasn't enough. Slated for just three sites in the region, a 1998 meeting of the First Nations Inuit Health Branch wanted to implement the program but not for a select few.
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Aboriginal baby boom well under way in Canada

The aboriginal "baby boom" is well underway, despite falling birth rates among other Canadians, according to Statistics Canada.
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National Inuit Leader Responds to the Aboriginal Children’s Survey

Statistics Canada released information today from the Aboriginal Children’s Survey, with a focus on the family, community, and childcare of Aboriginal children under six years of age.
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Inuit Herald Historic Appointment of First Inuk Cabinet Minister

Ottawa, Ontario - Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami,and national leader for Inuit in Canada, underlined the historic appointment of Leona Aglukkaq as the new Minister of Health today, and congratulated all new members of the cabinet.
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Inuit fare yields to nutritionist's nightmare

On a Saturday afternoon in summer, the foothills that frame this Inuit village on Quebec's northernmost coast are dotted with white tufts of Arctic cotton, the purple-pink of dwarf fireweed, crowberries and liverwort and yellow oxytrope. With its beach glass and fossil-crusted stones, the shoreline would be picturesque, too, if it weren't littered with broken bicycles, Pepsi cans, Gobstopper wrappers and potato chip bags.
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Lifestyle Changes Lead to Dramatic Cancer Increase among Inuit People

Cancer rates have been skyrocketing among the Inuit people—a dramatic rise that researchers say can be traced to changes in smoking, diet, and other lifestyle factors, according to a review published in the September issue of The Lancet Oncology.
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SFU, first nation interactive website collaboration honoured by UNESCO

BURNABY, B.C. - A website collaboration between Simon Fraser University and the Fraser Valley's Xa:ytem Longhouse Interpretive Centre is being honoured by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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CIHR Guidelines for Health Research involving Aboriginal people are now in effect

The CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People were developed through extensive consultation with Aboriginal communities and researchers across Canada.

Starting with the December 2008 launch of funding opportunities, researchers seeking CIHR funding for health research involving Aboriginal people must now adhere to the Guidelines.
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Health Care in Canada 2008

Today, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) released the ninth edition of Health Care in Canada.
More Information>>

Arctic air temperature at record high due to sea ice loss

The continuing loss of sea ice has pushed the air temperature in the Arctic to a record high above normal, scientists have revealed.
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Care for diabetes moves to communities

The thousands of people living with diabetes on Manitoba First Nations communities will no longer have to move or travel to receive some of the care that's needed to deal with the rampant disease.
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Labrador dumps raided for groceries

A health department in Labrador has posted public warnings about rotten and expired food, after reports that people have been foraging in municipal dumps, because they can't afford to buy groceries in the North.
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Help find Maisy and Shannon

The Help Find Maisy & Shannon Groups are asking for help to submit donations to raise a reward for the safe return of Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander. The two First Nations youth from Kitigan Zibi community, which is north of Ottawa, Ontario, have been missing since Sept 5, 2008.
More Information>>

NTI to create own plan for more Inuit nurses

Nunavut Tunngavik is creating its own action plan to attract and retain Inuit nurses in hopes it will enhance the Nunavut government's efforts to deal with the shortage of nurses territory-wide.
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Ship visiting Labrador communities for survey of Inuit health

A comprehensive survey of the health of Labrador's Inuit gets underway Monday in Nunatsiavut. A specially outfitted coast guard ship will carry the survey crew to Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet. Residents of the coastal communities will be tested for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart conditions.
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Emergency Room's Neglect Horrifying

Grand Chief Morris Swan Shannacappo of the Southern Chiefs' Organization is demanding federal and provincial governments and politicians immediately address a wide range of issues that may have come into play during tragic situation surrounding the death of Brian Sinclair at the Health Sciences Centre.
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Goudge report applauded by First Nations leaders

Long before Dr. Charles Smith shattered public confidence in pediatric forensic pathology in Ontario, First Nations communities may have already lost trust, Justice Stephen Goudge said in his report released today.
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Exploring Canada's health care workforce

The Canadian Institue for Health Research (CIHI) released Canada's Health Care Providers, 1997 to 2006, A Reference Guide Sept. 30, 2008. The guide provides the latest available information on 24 health service occupations in Canada, including midwives, dentists, audiologists and chiropractors.
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Stop tranquillizing polar bears for research, NTI says

Leaders with Nunavut's land-claim organization say they want scientists to stop tranquillizing polar bears and other wildlife, citing the concerns of Inuit elders and hunters about the impact of that practice on their health.
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Man's death in Winnipeg ER 'preventable': chief medical examiner

Death was preventable for a Winnipeg man found after more than 34 hours in the waiting room of a major hospital's emergency department, the province's chief medical examiner said Wednesday.
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Physician Advocacy Essential for Canada's First Nations

Peter Warren, MB B Chir, Winnipeg Man. - The Government of Canada recently apologized to our First Nations' people for its residential school policy, which effectively suppressed the linguistic, cultural and spiritual practices of their pupils, with the ultimate aim of assimilation. Federal underfunding coupled with harsh discipline, exacerbated by the presence of abusive staff in some schools, also served to demoralize students and compromise their resistance to disease.
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Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Contributes $1 Million to Cornwall Community Hospital Renovation Project

Akwesasne, ONTARIO — The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) announced that it has made a substantial contribution to ensure that Akwesasne community members will continue to access and receive quality heath care at the Cornwall Community Hospital. MCA has made a $1 million donation to be dispensed over a five-year period towards the hospital’s recent and ongoing renovations to make it the region’s leading State-of-the-Art medical facility
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My Big Fat Diet

Supersize Me meets Northern Exposure in the CBC documentary My Big Fat Diet when the Namgis First Nation of Alert Bay gives up sugar and junk food, returning to a traditional style of eating for a year to fight obesity and diabetes.
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Reminder of the AIDS struggle

Every day an Aboriginal person tests positive for HIV in Canada. To help address the problem, Regina recently joined the rest of Canada on the walk for AIDS through the All Nations Hope AIDS Network (ANHAN).
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Land claim pact brought few benefits: study

The James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement has produced mixed results for Inuit and Cree in northern Quebec, says a report published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, an independent Canadian think-tank.

Some 30 years after the $225 million deal was signed, the improvements in Inuit and Cree communities are only "marginally greater" with respect to infrastructure, health, education and income than in aboriginal communities that had no land claims deals, says the institute's analysis of the 1975 James Bay agreement, also know as the JBNQA.
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In defence of fat

A controversial new book suggests including fat in the human diet could be healthier than you think.
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Judge criticizes care of at-risk teen

A Calgary youth court judge has severely criticized Nunavut child services and local agencies for their treatment of a 16-year-old boy sent to a group home here 18 months ago. The Inuit teen, now charged with serious crimes, is in danger of falling through the cracks of the child welfare system, Judge Steve Lipton said Wednesday.
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Health survey greeted warmly by communities

NUNAVUT - For nearly a month, 38 members from Nunavut and across Canada cruised the Northwest Passage, stopping in coastal communities along the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and Nunavut to survey Inuit about their health.
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Emotional plea for inquiry into missing women

Aboriginal women from B.C. and their supporters from across the country converged on Parliament Hill yesterday to speak out about missing and murdered family and friends in hopes of raising awareness and ending the violence.

The Walk 4 Justice left Vancouver June 21 to present a petition to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, asking them for a public inquiry into the 3,000 women -- 80% of them aboriginal -- who have been killed or gone missing over the past decade.
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Challenging a nation to hit the gym

Phil Fontaine, 63, is the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations. At the AFN's annual general assembly in mid-July, he challenged first nation chiefs across Canada to commit to three months of daily physical activity. "One of the reasons for the challenge is to promote the idea of good health," he said. "We know that first nations experience diabetes at three times the rate of the general Canadian population, and so I'm hoping leadership will set an example through their participation in this challenge."
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Traditional Environmental Knowledge Bibliography

The Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA) announces a Bibliography of Existing Traditional Environmental Knowledge Resources relating to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
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No more midwives in Arviat

With the departure of its only midwife last month, Arviat women again have no choice but to leave their families and community behind to have babies. The hamlet's long-awaited birthing centre, expected to open months ago, was never completed, and only one maternity care position is currently filled at the local health centre.
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Kahnawake MD gets Research Award

Ann Macaulay had been working as an MD in Kahnawake for more than a decade when she began the research on diabetes that would reshape her career - and have an impact on the health of the Mohawk people. The Gazette's Peggy Curran profiles the McGill doctor named Family Medicine Researcher of the Year for 2008 by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

McGill University General Information
James Administration Building, 845 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T5

Walk4Justice in Ottawa Sept. 15

Walk4Justice is a group of Indigenous women and men that left Vancouver June 21, and is marching to Ottawa for Sept. 15, to demand a response from Parliament Hill on the violence against Indigenous women.
See Agenda>>

Manitoba, Ottawa come to agreement on 'Jordan's Principle'

The provincial and federal governments have reached an agreement aimed at putting jurisdictional issues aside when dealing with children with severe disabilities who live on First Nations reserves.
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Walk raises awareness of suicides on First Nations

After four failed suicide attempts, 13-year-old Brigitte Hastings made a crucial decision. She decided she wanted to live. Hastings is now helping to raise national awareness of the plight of Aboriginal youth as one of 12 members of the Garden Hill First Nation in Manitoba who are participating in a Choose Life walk from Winnipeg to Ottawa.
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WHO Final Report of the Social Determinants of Health

The "social determinants of health" have been the focus of a three-year investigation by an eminent group of policy makers, academics, former heads of state and former ministers of health. Together, they comprise the World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. Today, the Commission presents its findings to the WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan.
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Country food still the best choice

Nunavut - Contaminant levels in certain Arctic animals have declined in recent years, according to a study released earlier this year.
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Inuit Health Survey kicks off second year with high hopes, less ice

The coastal community health survey will take place on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Amundsen named after the polar explorer Roald Amundsen.
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Elder interviews to become podcasts

QIKIQTARJUAQ/BROUGHTON ISLAND - For the members of the Inuit Knowledge Project, the term "expert" defies conventional definition.
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Pesticides we use end up in the Arctic

A single gunshot jars the silence of the frigid Arctic air as an Inuit hunter claims his prize on this whaling trip. There is a predator-prey relationship between the hunter and the whale, but they are also connected by a sacred bond of respect and affinity with one another.
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Deadline approaching for National Aboriginal Achievement Awards

Nominations for the 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards (NAAA) close at 5 p.m. on Friday Sept. 19.
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Improving access to care in the North

Expansion At Northern Ontario School Of Medicine To Put More Medical Students In Small, Remote and Aboriginal Communities
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Health careers role model search: Nishnawbe Aski Nation

Do you know someone who has made a difference in the well-being of their community? Someone who is interested in or currently working in the health care field? We want to know who they are!
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Native agency hailed for saving kids

Working with the 30 First Nations communities scattered across Ontario's vast north to improve the lives of children has earned Tikinagan Child and Family Services this year's prestigious Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award.
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Project helps Inuit adapt to changing Arctic

For Inuit, the changing Arctic climate does not merely provide fodder for the climate change debate -- it presents a threat to their way of everyday life as they struggle to cope with an increasingly volatile environment
Read More >>

First Nations Agency Honoured with Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award

Success in improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal children in remote communities has earned Tikinagan Child and Family Services the prestigious 2008 Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award. Sponsored by the Atkinson Charitable Foundation and the Hindmarsh families, the award will boost the operations by this Native Children's Aid Society in 30 remote fly-in First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario.
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Fort William First Nation has new health centre

The victim support grants program is funded by a $2-million investment province wide for aboriginal communities and organizations, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit. The funding will provide linguistically and culturally appropriate services to aboriginal victims of crime.
Read More >>

Mutated fish caught in lake downstream of Alberta's oilsands

FORT CHIPEWYAN, Alta. - Information about a mutated fish caught downstream from Alberta's oilsands region will be sent to a joint government-industry group that monitors the health of rivers and lakes.
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Nature's supermarket

Dolly Watts of the Gitk'san First Nations inherited thousands of years of tradition and knew her way around 'natures store' better than most consumers of wild edible foods.
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First Nations communities prepare for battle over water, culture

It was a weekend of concerns over unnecessary death and pain, but also of hope, praise and planning. And when the doors closed on the Keepers of the River: Water is Boss conference, First Nations communities united in an unprecedented move, preparing for a David and Goliath fight in protecting their culture and traditional way of life.
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New agreement intended to improve aboriginal health care in Saskatchewan

FORT QU'APPELLE, Sask. - A new agreement in Saskatchewan aims at closing the gap between health care for aboriginals and the rest of the population.
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Parliamentarians address health issues during UAF conference

FAIRBANKS — An important key to human health in the Arctic lies in a syringe. The introduction of vaccines has contributed to the improved health of people in the Arctic during the last 50 years, said Dr. Alan Parkinson, deputy director of the Arctic Investigations Program of the National Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Northern notables weigh in on Canada's strategy

CanWest News Service asked some of Canada's most notable northerners, Inuit leaders and polar experts to contribute to a "wish list" of actions that should be taken to advance Canada's interests in the Arctic.
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GN health system struggles with ­rising TB wave

Nunavut continues to suffer from the highest rates of tuberculosis in Canada, higher even than in the Northwest Territories and Nunavik.
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Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge

The First Nations Centre (FNC) of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) in partnership with the Elsipogtog Health and Wellness Centre (EHWC) is hosting a traditional gathering, Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge, during September 8-15, 2008.
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Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) Launches A New Public Service Announcement

Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) is launching a new public service announcement campaign to promote nursing careers to Aboriginal youth and to encourage Aboriginal nurses to become a member of A.N.A.C. A 10-week television campaign will debut August 11 on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) and will air until October 17, 2008.
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Success In The City - Examining Aboriginal Youth Moving From Rural To Urban Communities

Vancouver Native Health Society (VNHS) is pleased to share the results of our study that examines the causes of difficult youth transition from rural Aboriginal communities to urban environments. We have included in the study some suggestions on ways to ease this transition.
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Canada's Government Announces Aboriginal Health Care Reform in Nova Scotia

Halifax - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced today reforms that will help improve the delivery of Aboriginal health care in Nova Scotia.
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Travelling Inuit health survey begins work in Tuktoyaktuk

Medical researchers aboard the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Amundsen are in remote western Arctic communities this month to continue their work on the first comprehensive survey of Inuit health in Canada.
Read more >>

A campaign is under way to encourage better nutrition choices

Used to be, Shawn Snake could drive his truck from Chatham-Kent to Ottawa without stopping at a service station.Then, he started getting tired. He was only 36 at the time, but suddenly he couldn't make it to Toronto before pulling off for a washroom break and a nap.
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Health officials worry as gonorrhea makes comeback in North

Medical authorities in Nunavut and northern Quebec say they're concerned about the resurgence of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection, across the region.
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McGill Inuit health survey beginning soon

August 5 - An Inuit health survey is taking place across the northern parts of the country, with the team of researchers finishing their work in Nunatsiavut.
The survey, which begins Aug. 10, is being performed by the McGill University Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment. More than 1,000 people in 20 communities in Canada’s north will take part.
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Aboriginal Women’s Summit Maps the Way to the Future

August 1 - Yellowknife, NT – A three day summit focused on Aboriginal women’s issues has concluded with a solid plan for action. The second National Aboriginal Women’s Summit examined more than 29 key recommendations stemming from NAWS I last year in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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8th World Indigenous Women’ & Wellness Conference: Building on Traditional Wisdom & Knowledge

The Awo Taan Healing Lodge will be hosting the 8th World Indigenous Women’ & Wellness Conference: Building on Traditional Wisdom & Knowledge, Sept. 29th – Oct 1st 2008 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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McGill Inuit health survey beginning

An Inuit health survey is taking place across the northern parts of the country, with the team of researchers finishing their work in Nunatsiavut.
Read More >>

Nunavut to release climate-change adaptation plan

July 30 - The Nunavut government is expected to release its strategy this fall on how it plans to deal with the effects of climate change.
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Aboriginal Health Care Conference:Challenges, Issues and Advances in Cross-Cultural Care -Ontario’s Aboriginal Experience

July 30 - This conference will explore the latest challenges, solutions and best practices in Aboriginal health care across the province. Building on the success of last year’s program, Building Collaborative Partnerships for Health Prosperity, this year’s event will highlight innovations developed to improve the health status of Aboriginal peoples.
Read More >>

Elders, scientists talk climate change

July 30 - IQALUIT - With the mercury pushing far past 20 C and into record-breaking territory, the Planning for Climate Change Symposium in Iqaluit took on added significance.
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Paddle to Quw'utsun 2008 Tribal Journeys Canoe Voyage

July 28 - First launched in 1989 as a celebration of Indigenous peoples' highly sophisticated relationship with the ocean, Tribal Journeys is one of the most prominent cultural events associated with the North American Indigenous Games. The largest-ever Tribal Journeys Canoe Voyage is set to mark the beginning of the 2008 North American Indigenous Games.
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Dialing in on health

July 28 - NUNAVUT - Next spring, three unique television shows on Inuit health will be broadcast live around the territory, and viewers will be able to call in with their concerns.
Read More >>

Government of Canada Partners with the Kee-Way-Win First Nation on New Water Treatment Plant

July 24 - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, today announced the grand opening of a water treatment plant in the Kee-way-win First Nation.
Read More >>

Feds putting $100-million towards Sask. First Nations family services

July 23 - The federal government will spend $105 million to help reduce the number of Saskatchewan aboriginal children in foster homes.
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Province gets $10.2M for aboriginal services

July 23 - Halifax - Nova Scotia is getting $10.2 million over five years from the federal government to provide better community services to First Nations communities.
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Native Women's Association of Canada : Walk for Missing Sisters in Saskatchewan

July 23 - Ottawa - All this week people from across Saskatchewan will be taking part in the Walk for Missing Sisters to raise awareness for missing Aboriginal women, children and men. Beverley Jacobs, President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), will be joining Herb and Pauline Muskego in this final annual walk dedicated to their daughter, Daleen Kay Bosse Muskego, missing since May 18, 2004.
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An Island First Nation's small nutrition miracle

July 22 - By 2010, the Canadian Diabetes Association estimates a cost of $15.6 billion to the health-care system. But, thanks to the determined work of a Métis physician and a small First Nations band at Alert Bay, a year-long experiment featuring a fat-and-protein based traditional aboriginal diet offers hope that a solution is possible.
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Good luck, native athletes

July 21 - Mi’kmaq athletes from around Nova Scotia were in Halifax on Saturday to receive an official send-off for next month’s North American Indigenous Games in British Columbia.
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Iqaluit study to focus on pregnant smokers

July 21 - Researchers are preparing to start a study in Nunavut's Baffin region to determine why pregnant women smoke, and develop recommendations on how to help them butt out.
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Pine beetle poses threat to native communities

July 13, VANCOUVER - The mountain pine beetle infestation in British Columbia is changing the lives of rural First Nations on a scale not seen for generations of native elders.
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Children's dental surgery backlog

July 13, HAY RIVER - A new funding arrangement soon to be signed by the GNWT and Ottawa will bring children's dental surgery back to Hay River.
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Creating positive change drives NAHO role model

July 10 - A 26-year-old band member of Rainy River First Nation can add another accomplishment to an already lengthy resume. Robert Animikii Horton is one of 12 Aboriginal youth in Canada to be selected as a 2008 National Aboriginal Role Model from the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO).
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The Paddle of Hope

July 9, 2008 - The Paddle of Hope is an inspiring adventure in support for all of those who are living with cancer.
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Governor General of Canada announces New Appointments to the Order of Canada - Includes Former Chief Victor S. Buffalo Samson Cree Nation

Samson Cree Nation (Alberta) – Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced on July 1, 2008 new appointments to the Order of Canada. These appointments were made on the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Order of Canada. Samson Cree Nation former Chief Victor S. Buffalo will be installed as an “Officer” of the Order of Canada.
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Lavallée named a national Métis role model

A young woman from St. Ambroise with a desire to help others has been awarded the prestigious title of National Aboriginal Role Model.
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New Canadian vessel delivers hope for Arctic

IQALUIT, Nunavut -- Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping's newest vessel, the MV Qamutik, arrived safely in Canada on Canada Day. The MV Qamutik will service the Eastern Arctic under Canadian flag with a Canadian crew, including specially trained local Inuit.
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Peace Paddle Planned For Saturday

July 8 - For the third straight year, West Moberly First Nations Chief Roland Willson and Assembly of First Nations BC Regional Chief Shawn Atleo will be paddling a canoe down the Peace River to try and raise awareness about the Site “C” dam proposal.
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Natural Resources : Unique Agreement will Benefit Lake Koocanusa

July 4 - Cranbrook – The Province, Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) and Ktunaxa First Nation have signed an agreement that aims to balance social, cultural, environmental and economic values in the Lake Koocanusa area.
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Journey Strengthens Relationships with Aboriginal Youth

July 3, VANCOUVER – The Province is providing a total of $30,000 to the Pulling Together Canoe Society and Ride With The Tides Productions to strengthen relationships between police, Aboriginal youth and communities and to increase awareness about First Nations cultures, Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister Michael de Jong announced today.
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Dream becomes reality at Whitefish Bay health centre

The development of a new 7,000 sq. ft. building to house the new clinic at Naotkamegwanning (Whitefish Bay) is the most recent development in a community that’s truly on the move. In recent months they’ve opened a new ambulance station, as well as bought three businesses (Home Hardware in Sioux Narrows, King Fisheries and Kenwood Steak House in Kenora).
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Aboriginal Sport Circle announces the Aboriginal Athlete Support Fund

The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Aboriginal Athlete Support Fund (AASF). The fund is designed to help Aboriginal athletes attend national or international sporting competitions. Funding for the program is a legacy of the highly successful 2002 North America Indigenous Games (NAIG) held in Winnipeg.
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Lakehead Masters Student Receives NAHO Award

June 25 - Robert Animikii Horton (Bebaamoyaash), 26-year-old Sociology Masters student at Lakehead University and Band Member from the community of Manitou Rapids (Rainy River First Nations), has received the 2008 National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) National Aboriginal Role Model Award. Robert is one of 12 recipients across Canada.
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Becoming an aboriginal role model

For somebody who didn’t know he was aboriginal until he was 20 years old, the journey to being honoured as one of 12 national aboriginal role models has been bumpy.
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First nations take early steps towards better health

June 19 - An approach is giving first nations communities a hand in developing programs to fit their needs. It was formalized in a 10-year-agreement signed last June between the First Nations Leadership Council and the provincial and federal governments.
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New Agreement Aims to Increase Economic and Social Well-being of Métis People

June 18 - The Government of Alberta and the Métis Nation of Alberta Association (MNAA) have signed a new seven-year agreement to work together towards enhancing the economic and community well-being of Alberta’s Métis people.
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Why did four kids choose to die?

June 17 - Tsuu T'ina seeks answers to frightening suicide rate
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The tragic story of four tsuu t'ina teenagers Who decided to stop living
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$100,000 Expands CERAH’s End-of-Life Care Research in 12 First Nations Communities

June 17 – Lakehead University’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health (CERAH), in partnership with the Kenora Chiefs’ Advisory and the Fort Frances-based Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre, has received $100,000 from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) for a project entitled Improving End-of-Life Care for Aboriginal Elders with Cancer and other Chronic Diseases. The palliative care research project will involve 12 First Nations communities in the Treaty 3 area.
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Hospital launches pilot program

June 15 - Sudbury --- A pilot project is underway that will see the Regional Cancer Program (RCP) of the Hôpital régional de Sudbury Regional Hospital (HRSRH) and the Aboriginal Cancer Care Unit (ACCU) of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) take the message of colorectal cancer prevention and screening directly to First Nations communities.
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Is growing up in the care of the state any better for native children today?

June 13- Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged this week that stripping aboriginal children of their culture by putting them in residential schools caused great harm. In 1945, at the peak of the program, more than 9,000 children were taken from their families and boarded in the schools. Today there are 27,000 aboriginal children across the country in government care, most being raised in a culture that is not their own.
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Government Moves Ahead on Improvements to Northern Regulatory Regime

June 12 - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, announced an amendment to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement today that will eliminate duplication in federal environmental assessment processes in Nunavut.
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Aboriginal leaders look to future after historic apology

The federal government's historic apology to former students of the residential school program must signal the start of a better relationship between aboriginal Canadians and the rest of the country, aboriginal leaders say.
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Harper apology leaves Labrador students in cold: Innu, Inuit

Labrador's aboriginal people are accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of ignoring the pain and suffering they experienced at boarding schools.
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Statement of Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools

June 11 - At 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, will make a Statement of Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, on behalf of the Government of Canada. The full text of the apology will be made available on the Prime Minister's website at www.pm.gc.ca following the Statement of Apology by the Prime Minister.
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A Plan to Expand UBC's Pharmaceutical Services to Haida Gwaii

Haida Gwaii, an archipelago of more than 150 islands off B.C.’s northern coast, is home to 5,400 residents, but only one pharmacist. Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Judith Soon and fellow researchers in UBC’s Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) group have a plan to change this by establishing a patient-centred pharmacy clinic.
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Actor sees a way to break out of his people's drama

June 10 - It would be easier to say he is just acting - but he isn't. He is Adam Beach of the Dog Creek Reserve in Manitoba and of Hollywood, Calif., and his acting credentials are impressive...But so, too, are his credentials for speaking out this week as the Canadian government finally issues its official apology for the abuses caused by residential schools through two centuries.
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Apology to spare no detail, Strahl says

June 10 - OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper will offer a lengthy and detailed apology tomorrow that will specifically acknowledge the mental, physical and sexual abuse suffered by aboriginal children at residential schools as a result of the decades-long federal policy.
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Cardiac autonomic activity and blood pressure among Nunavik Inuit adults exposed to environmental mercury: a cross-sectional study

Mercury is a contaminant that reaches high levels in Nunavik (North of Quebec). It is transformed into methylmercury (MeHg) and accumulated in marine mammals and predator fish, an important part of the traditional Inuit diet.
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The National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation Welcomes New Federal Funding For Aboriginal Addictions Services in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

June 9, 2008 - The National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation welcomes the government’s recent announcement of $2 million dedicated to helping First Nations and Inuit recover from addictions to alcohol and illicit drugs in Vancouver, in addition to the $10 million funding to be provided over five years to find treatment solutions for residents of Vancouver’s Downtown eastside.
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Final Report of the Wabauskang First Nations Indigenous Knowledge and Contaminants Program

It is now widely known that the mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon River system in northwest Ontario is one of the largest and most severe examples of industrial contamination in North America.
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Research head looks at Native health issues

June 5 - The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario has donated $1.5 million to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine to hire a research chairperson for Aboriginal and Rural Health, the first of its kind in Canada.
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Solving Pressing Public Health Problems: Close to $13 Million to Fund 14 New Research Chairs in Public Health

June 3 - Close to $13 million is being invested to fund 14 new Research Chairs on the topic of Public Health. The newly funded Research Chairs will look into the pressing problems of obesity, sexually transmitted diseases among youth, animal transmitted diseases, drug use, health among First Nations and Métis people, mental health in the workplace and how neighbourhoods influence our health.
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First Nation sues Alta. government over oilsands development

June 4 - EDMONTON - A small First Nation band in northern Alberta has launched legal action against the Alberta government over continuing oilsands development in the region.
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Re-evaluation of blood mercury, lead and cadmium concentrations in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Quebec): a cross-sectional study

Arctic populations are exposed to mercury, lead and cadmium through their traditional diet. Studies have however shown that cadmium exposure is most often attributable to tobacco smoking. The aim of this study is to examine the trends in mercury, lead and cadmium exposure between 1992 and 2004 in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) using the data obtained from two broad scale health surveys, and to identify sources of exposure in 2004.
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MDs call for diabetes strategy as prevalence skyrockets

June 4 - The prevalence of diabetes in Canada has rocketed beyond all expectations, a national policy summit on the impact of diabetes complications heard yesterday.
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FNUniv graduates first Bachelor of Health Studies class

June 2 - REGINA -- This year's spring convocation ceremonies at the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) will see its first graduates from the Bachelor of Health Studies (BHS) program.
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MNBC Signs Important Agreement in Preparation for the 2010 Olympic/Paralympic Winter Games

May 31 - MNBC has officially become a recognized partner with the Four Host First Nations and VANOC to ensure Métis participation in the upcoming 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
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Labrador town upset treatment centre closed

North West River town representatives say they are “extremely disappointed” with the closure of the Saputjivik residential treatment centre.
“The loss of this facility deals yet another severe economic blow to the community of less than 500 people, and comes only a year after Nunatsiavut moved its regional health offices to Happy Valley-Goose Bay,” the town stated in a release.
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Nunavik ponders ban on trans fats foods

May 30 - Nunavik may ask Ottawa to ban or limit trans fats in foods, said Minnie Grey, a long-time member of Nunavik's nutrition and health committee. But first, Grey wants consumers and retailers to receive more information about trans fats, so they can switch on their own to healthier products that are already available.
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Canada's Health Minister Announces $2 Million to Improve Addictions Services for Aboriginal People in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

May 30 - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced $2 million to improve addictions services in Vancouver's downtown eastside that will help First Nations and Inuit recover from addictions to alcohol and illicit drugs.
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Inuit seek Winnipeg centre

So far, there is only minimal support available to Inuit in Winnipeg, unlike other major centres such as Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton and Yellowknife, but Bernadette Niviatsiak wants to change all that.
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Improving Health and Well-Being in Pikangikum First Nation

The residents of Pikangikum First Nation are building a new community centre with help from the Ontario government.The new building will house a community hall, gym, bakery, general store, Prenatal Nutrition and Healthy Babies office as well as other amenities that help improve the community's overall health and well-being.
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Oilsand probes grow to 13

Alberta Health and Health Canada are investigating reports of unusually high cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan, an aboriginal community downstream of oilsands projects.
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Suicide Prevention Team in Lillooet

May 28 - In response to an obvious need, a regional volunteer team has been formed to address suicide prevention and will finish training at the end of May.
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New program ‘Honouring Our Spirit' launched in Alberta

EDMONTON, May 27 - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) and Native Counselling Services of Alberta today launched Honouring Our Spirit, a new victim services program that informs First Nations and Métis individuals and communities on how they can reach out for support after losing a loved one to impaired driving.
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Dialysis centre first in Canada on native reserve

May 27 - Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant offered an olive branch to Six Nations yesterday with $1.6 million to launch a kidney dialysis treatment centre on the reserve.
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Ontario Supports Health Research In The North

May 23 - The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is teaming up with the province and the Heart and Stroke Foundation to improve the health of Aboriginal peopleand rural residents.
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Water ‘source of fear’ for native communities, report says

May 23 - Water quality in aboriginal communities and reserves across the country has reached a "boiling point," warns a new report released Thursday by the Polaris Institute, the Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Labour Congress.
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'The Harvard of Nunavut'

NUNAVUT, May 22 - Ashley Paniyuk-Dean has a passion for teaching and a passion for Inuit culture and she found her occupational match in the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.
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Opportunity Fund Gives Students Chance to ‘Earn & Learn’

Generous donations totaling $1.76-million make university possible for students from under-represented communities
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Ojibways of Onigaming to investigate the feasibility of setting up a wind generation facility

May 22 - Harnessing the wind as a source of renewable energy may provide significant economic benefits for a Far North First Nation.
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Blood pressure pilot project set for First Nations communities

May 22 - A Heart and Stroke Foundation pilot program aimed at helping people lower blood pressure, will be launched in June in Whitefish River First Nation and Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, both in the Manitoulin district, said Margaret Moy Lum-Kwong, the foundation's director, high blood pressure strategy.
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Taboo of suicide runs strong

YELLOWKNIFE, May 21 - While St. Patrick's high school was still grieving last month as yet another young man attending school there claimed his life - the second this year - Yellowknifer was repeatedly rebuffed when broaching the subject with youth and healthcare officials.
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Government of Canada Signs Historic First Nations Housing MOU

Vancouver, May 21 - The Government of Canada today signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Province of B.C. and the First Nations Leadership Council, agreeing to work together to develop a comprehensive approach to improve housing for First Nations communities, individuals and families both on and off reserve.
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Award of Excellence in Nursing Ceremony

OTTAWA, May 16 - The sixth annual First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Award of Excellence in Nursing ceremony takes place on May 16 at the Government Conference Centre in Ottawa.
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PM to apologize for abuse at residential schools

OTTAWA, May 15 – Prime Minister Stephen Harper plans to stand in Parliament on June 11 to make a long-awaited apology for rampant abuses at native residential schools during the last century.
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Health Canada grants $120K for treatment centre at Yellow Quill First Nation

A working group made up of three Saulteaux First Nations is set to begin planning a treatment centre for Yellow Quill, in response to the freezing deaths of two young girls.
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Roundtable talks on aboriginal consultation wrap up

The historic round-table conference with First Nations, Metis, government and resource industry representatives wrapped up Tuesday, but an air of skepticism lingered.
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First Nations People Return to Their Traditional Diet to Combat Obesity and Diabetes

On small Cormorant Island just off the coast of northeast Vancouver Island people of the Namgis tribe are turning to a modern equivalent of their traditional diet.
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Restoring pride goal of new Metis regional councillor

May 9 - The Sault Ste. Marie area's newly acclaimed regional councillor for the Metis Nation of Ontario says she looks forward to instilling pride in her heritage.
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Ottawa's $300M fund to help First Nations buy on-reserve homes

May 6 - The federal government launched a $300-million housing fund Monday aimed at helping First Nations people buy their own homes on reserves.
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Natives share hopes and dreams at conference

BELLVILLE, May 6 - The conference theme was "Restoring the Warrior's Dream" and it featured speakers, prayer teams, spiritual worship and native traditions, songs and dance to honour the Creator First Nations style. Every activity was intended to promote restoration, fatherhood, honour, hope and health.
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Making Education Work for First Nations

Fraser, B.C., April 30 - "We want to increase the retention rate among Aboriginal high-school students, we want to see them complete their high-school graduation requirements, and we want to see them enrol in a post-secondary institute." says Making Education Work co-ordinator, Betty-Ann McIvor.
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15th Annual Labrador Inuit Youth Symposium

April 30 - The symposium will begin with a career fair on Friday which will feature displays by groups such as Inuit Pathway’s, the College of the North Atlantic, and Aurora Energy Incorporated.
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Governments commit to improving First Nations education in N.B.

April 29 - The New Brunswick Education Department will use 50 per cent of tuition payments it receives to cover the costs of educating aboriginal students in the public school system to improve First Nations programming.
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Mental Health Commission of Canada Outlines Startling Statistics at Public Forum on Homelessness & Mental Illness

VANCOUVER, April 28 - The statistics are disturbing, but there is hope. That was the message from the Honourable Michael Kirby, Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, as he delivered the keynote address at the Collaboration for Change forum in Vancouver today.
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Med school costs discourage applicants: Study

April 28 - Canada needs more physicians to serve rural and aboriginal communities, but the prospect of medical school debts may be discouraging promising students from those regions – who might eventually return home to practise – from even applying to med school, doctors-in-training say.
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B.C. Metis receive $450,000 grant

Vancouver, April 25 - B.C.'s Metis Nation have received a grant of $450,000 from the provincial government to help improve health, housing, education and economic development, Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister Michael de Jong said Thursday in a press release.
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Saskatoon health region signs deal to help First Nations with system

Saskatoon, April 25 - An agreement signed Thursday by the Saskatoon Health Region could lead to more ceremony rooms for First Nations people to use at hospitals, or guides to help aboriginal people navigate the complex health system.
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Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia sounds alarm over toxins

Members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ont., think their reserve, which recorded the lowest rate of live male births in the world (two girls born for every boy) and high rates of death, miscarriage and disease, is beyond the saturation point for exposure to pollutants, and the community is making a public plea for action.
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Grieving First Nation proposes Yukon-wide prayer circle

Yukon, April 22 - A number of recent deaths in some Yukon aboriginal communities has one First Nation inviting others to observe a moment of prayer across the territory next week.
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Water rights battle hits court

Calgary, April 22 - Two aboriginal communities, Tsuu T'ina Nation southwest of the city and Samson Cree Nation in Hobbema north of Red Deer, are asking the Court of Queen's Bench to overturn the Alberta government's August 2006 decision to close nearly every river, lake and stream in southern Alberta.
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Study probes First Nations risks from seafood toxins

April 20 -Vancouver Island First Nations eat an average 60 kilograms of seafood each year, or 15 times the amount of the average Canadian. It's a valuable finding from a new study that will help local researchers determine safe consumption levels based on contaminants found in seafood.
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Federal government targets smoking, Aboriginal health issues

April 18 - The federal government has unveiled about $1 million to help deal with smoking issues and aboriginal health matters.
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Metis council hosts workshop

The Southwestern Ontario Metis Council will be hosting a Metis information workshop on May 3. The workshop will provide information about Metis rights in areas of health care, education, funding initiatives, starting a small business and Canada Metis Council Organization Structure.
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National Inuit Education Summit: Foundation and Inuit Partner on Strategy for Progress

INUVIK, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, April 15, 2008 - The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce its partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) on the first ever National Inuit Education Summit, which will bring together Inuit leaders from April 15 to 17 in Inuvik to discuss the barriers and challenges to Inuit education, as well as a strategy for progress.
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$330M will fund improvements to drinking water on First Nations

REGINA, April 16 - The federal government is investing $330 million over the next two years to improve the drinking water on First Nations.
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Inuit health office to open in Ottawa

OTTAWA, April 14 - Federal Health Minister Tony Clement has announced a new Inuit office in Ottawa that will focus on addressing the unique health challenges Inuit face across the country, from epidemics to health-care access in remote communities.
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Yukon First Nations in talks to set up medical diagnostic centre

April 10 - A group of First Nations in the Yukon wants to bring a medical diagnostic centre to Whitehorse, with the help of technology company Siemens Canada Ltd.
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First Nations still waiting for water treatment

KENORA, April 10 - More than two years after Ottawa issued a list of its top 21 communities for improving drinking water on First Nations, two of those communities in the Kenora area are still waiting for action.
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Improving quality of life for Métis people aim of historic talks

TORONTO, April 8 - Improving the quality of life for Métis people in Ontario is the aim of historic talks announced today by Michael Bryant, Ontario Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, and Tony Belcourt, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO).
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Sask. ranks high on boil-water advisory list

REGINA -- The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has uncovered some startling facts about Canada's drinking water.
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Fontaine, Simon and Chartier Congratulate Canadian Parliament for their support of the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples

OTTAWA - The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Phil Fontaine, the President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Mary Simon and the President of the Metis National Council Clement Chartier together announced their overwhelming support for yesterday's decision by the Canadian Parliament to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on April 8, 2008.
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Social worker shortage plagues Nunavut

Apr 4, 2008 - More than one-third of Nunavut's social worker jobs sit empty. Read More>>

Aboriginal health researcher garners national award

Apr 3, 2008 - Dr. Jeff Reading, Mohawk Tyendinaga, scientific director of the UVic-based Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health, has received the 2008 National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the field of health. Read More>>

CFI Funds U of S Research on Aboriginal Health, Pollution and Depression

April 02, 2008 - University of Saskatchewan (U of S) researchers have been awarded a total of $322,492 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for projects that will shed light on diabetes' history in Saskatchewan First Nations, better treatments for seniors with depression, pollution's affect on heart disease, and other issues. Read More>>

Roasted partridge coming up

Apr 1, 2008 - Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre will begin serving aboriginal food in the cafeteria, offering such dishes as venison and rabbit stews, roasted partridge, wild rice and traditional vegetables. Read More>>

Inner-city clinic to offer HIV services

SASKATOON, SK, Mar 31, 2008 - A new clinic offering diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases -- along with a menu of related services -- will open in Saskatoon's inner city. Read More>>

Aboriginal health a growing concern

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MB, Mar 29, 2008 - Melanie Ferris, a 28-year-old entrepreneur from Long Plain First Nation, is the driving force behind Huntinghawk Communications, an organization devoted to the health of aboriginal Canadians. Read More>>

New Aboriginal Focussed Hospital for Sioux Lookout

THUNDER BAY, ON, Mar 28, 2008 - Ontario has given the official go ahead to Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC) to move its new hospital construction project forward. Read More>>

Asbestos Mesothelioma Poisoning

Mar 30, 2008 - Raven ThunderSky of Winnipeg, Manitoba is leading a battle to remove toxic Zonolite insulation from First Nations homes. Read More>>

Diabetes: how the sweet life can be deadly

Mar 28, 2008 - Too much sugar can kill you, warns former Nunavut Commissioner Peter Irniq, who learned recently he has diabetes. Read More>>

“Not all bugs need drugs,” Vinnie the Virus says

Mar 28, 2008 - Public health officials in Nunavut are trying to clear something up: just because you're sick, it doesn't mean you need to take antibiotic drugs. Read More>>

Forum looks at native health outside urban setting

THUNDER BAY, ON, Mar 27, 2008 - Improving health care for First Nation residents is the goal of a two-day conference being held in the city as representatives of the Northwest local health integration network are meeting with First Nation leaders. Read More>>

Male birth dearth persists on Ontario reserve

Mar 27, 2008 - A small native community living in the shadows of Sarnia's chemical valley has had an unusual distinction: Researchers believe it has one of the most skewed sex ratios in the world. Read More>>

Funding For Aboriginal Health Projects

Mar 26, 2008 - Four projects in the province including the Saskatoon HIV Aboriginal Reduction of Harm Program are receiving a total of 3.8 million dollars over two years. Read More>>

Stephanie Forsyth College pitches plan to B.C. ministers

TERRACE, BC, Mar 26, 2008 - Northwest Community College president Stephanie Forsyth was in Victoria yesterday in part to present its concept for an aboriginal health, wellness, sport and recreation education centre it wants to open in the never-opened Mountainview Elementary School building. Read More>>

Funding for aboriginals nearly doubles

TORONTO, Mar 25, 2008 - Confronted with several contentious aboriginal land claims across the province, Ontario's Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs saw a substantial funding increase today in a provincial budget that earmarks $56 million next year for the newly created portfolio. Read More>>

Young aboriginal role model to be honoured

Mar 24, 2008 - On Friday, Daniel McKennitt will accept one of the highest honours at this year's Alberta Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards ceremony, being held at the Winspear Centre. Read More>>

Natives not sold on landfill deal

Mar 24, 2008 - A London-area native community was shut out of talks with Toronto over a landfill that threatens the First Nation's health, its chief says. Read More>>

C-K gets aboriginal girls' fitness program

CHATHAM, ON, Mar 23, 2008 - Chatham-Kent is selected as one of six communities in Canada to develop a new program to keep Aboriginal girls moving. Read More>>

Nurses, Tsawout exchange knowledge

Mar 21, 2008 - When Geraldine and George Underwood moved into their home on the Tsawout reserve 60 years ago, their general health-care needs were met by periodic visits from nurses who ventured all the way from Duncan. Read More>>

Canadian reserves 'make the best of the worst' in struggle with crumbling schools

FISHING LAKE RESERVE, SK, Mar 21, 2008 - Steam wafts from the open black pit like it would from a pot of water on the stove just before it boils. Read More>>

New midwife law faces lengthy delivery

Mar 21, 2008 - MLAs have sent Nunavut's proposed midwifery profession act, Bill 20, back to the drawing board, because they say the health department never responded to their concerns. Read More>>

Funding for Aboriginal Health Projects

PRINCE GEORGE, BC, Mar 20, 2008 - The province has announced funding aimed at closing the gap between aboriginal health and that of other British Columbians. Read More>>

Federal funding for aboriginal housing, education 'woefully inadequate': Ontario

TORONTO, Mar 19, 2008 - Ottawa is "woefully" underfunding First Nations communities when it comes to housing, health care and education, and provinces aren't rich enough to pick up the slack, Ontario's aboriginal affairs minister said Wednesday. Read More>>

First Nations Health Managers search for solutions at National Forum

EDMONTON, AB, Mar 19, 2008 - Today at a National Forum for First Nations Health Managers, held at the Edmonton Marriott River Cree Resort, First Nations Health Managers will look for ways to create professional development opportunities, to recruit and retain quality employees and overcome issues like staff recruitment, retention and compensation. Read More>>

Nunavut Arctic College struggles to find nursing students

Mar 19, 2008 - Officials at Nunavut Arctic College are pushing to attract more people, particularly Inuit, to nursing and other health-care professions. Read More>>

Conditions for natives 'disgraceful' says former Lt.-governor

Mar 19, 2008 - Ontario's former lieutenant-governor calls the situation among Canadian aboriginals "utterly disgraceful." Read More>>

A place to heal

ABBOTSFORD, BC, Mar 18, 2008 - B.C. leaders and community partners gathered together yesterday to celebrate the grand opening of Abbotsford's Spirit Bear Centre, the first of its kind in the country. Read More>>

First Nations Health Managers Award of Excellence Winners to be handed out at 7:15 pm March 18th, 2008

OTTAWA, Mar 17, 2008 - For the first time an Award of Excellence will be presented to First Nations Health Managers who have made a difference in their community through their hard work and dedication. Read More>>

First Nations could see HIV epidemic

Mar 17, 2008 - Public health officials are worried an HIV epidemic could explode among First Nations after a new report revealed Manitoba has a disproportionately high number of aboriginal HIV cases. Read More>>

The town that lost 1,200 pounds

Mar 16, 2008 - First Nations of Alert Bay lose 1,200 pounds total in year-long study. Read More>>

Illness stalks Great Lakes dwellers

Mar 15, 2008 - A just-released American report that found higher rates of cancer and other diseases in the Great Lakes region comes as no surprise to a Sarnia expert who investigates poisoned work environments. Read More>>

Scientists to help Aamjiwnaang

Mar 13, 2008 - Concern about pollution and its impact on local health has prompted the Aamjiwnaang First Nation to enlist the help of world-renowned scientists for an upcoming symposium. Read More>>

Aboriginal perspective brought to health careers

Mar 13, 2008 - Alika Lafontaine's parents were told their son would never graduate high school because he was developmentally delayed. Read More>>

Métis centre opens doors

PRINCE GEORGE, BC, Mar 12, 2008 - The newly opened Kikino Métis Children and Family Services centre in Prince George offers a range of programs to support every age, said the facilitator. Read More>>

Aboriginal hero and healer

Mar 11, 2008 - An Aboriginal Achievement Award winner from 2003 was in the news this week. Dr. Jay Wortman was featured in a television documentary on a visionary diet approach he developed for Aboriginal people. Read More>>

Youth driven production tackles Greek tragedy, suicide

REGINA, SK, Mar 11, 2008 - The Kahkewistahaw First Nation has found a creative way to deal with serious social issues like suicide by letting their youths take the lead. Read More>>

MD tests diet theory on B.C. natives

Mar 11, 2008 - A remote community off the north coast of Vancouver Island is the unlikely venue for an experiment that uses diet to try to improve the health of native communities. Read More>>

CBC documentary to challenge B.C. Natives on weight loss

Mar 7, 2008 - A potentially groundbreaking study on weight loss and diabetes in Native populations has wrapped up in Alert Bay, B.C. Its findings will be presented to the country on March 11 on CBC. Read More>>

Alarm bells sound over threat of mercury contamination

Mar 9, 2008 - A coalition of environmental groups, First Nations and academics are demanding that the province investigate the threat of mercury contamination from industrial activities in the Boreal Forest. Read More>>

Bird flu scare prompts Nunavik pandemic plan

KUUJJUAQ, QC, Mar 7, 2008 - If a pandemic flu hits Quebec, airline passengers won't be able to freely travel between Nunavik and the South for three months or longer. Read More>>

Will new law curb domestic violence?

Mar 7, 2008 - Janet Brewster knows how abusive relationships can swallow up your life. She's been in one herself, and she's seen how they can end. Read More>>

Dialogue key to identifying health issues: Draude

REGINA, SK, Mar 6, 2008 - The government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the overall health and quality of life of First Nations and Métis people in Saskatchewan over the next seven years, Indian and Métis Relations Minister June Draude said Thursday. Read More>>

Report details health problems among urban American Indians

Mar 5, 2008 - Rich or poor, American Indians in cities across the country are facing startling health challenges unlike those of any other urban population, according to a new federal study. Read More>>

Health unit's track record with First Nations attracted new medical officer of health

PETERBOROUGH, ON, Mar 5, 2008 - An interest in First Nations is what drew Dr. Rosana Pellizzari to medicine and it’s one reason she’s coming to Peterborough. Read More>>

Health research gets a shot in arm

Mar 4, 2008 - Quebec health researchers received a $125-million boost yesterday that will fund 495 health research grants. Read More>>

First Nation leaders address health issues in Winnipeg

Mar 3, 2008 - Indigenous leaders have gathered in Winnipeg for a national Aboriginal health summit. Read More>>

Arthritis hits First Nations hard

Mar 3, 2008 - Severe forms of arthritis are five times more common among aboriginal people than among the rest of Canada's population. Read More>>

Fort Chip getting sick: Residents blame oilsands

EDMONTON, AB, Mar 2, 2008 - Protesters gathered at the legislature yesterday, claiming oilsands development is leading to an unusually high number of rare cancers and other chronic diseases in Fort Chipewyan. Read More>>

HIV/AIDS campaign underway

Mar 1, 2008 - First Nations people are taking matters into their own hands to try and stem the epidemic of HIV-AIDS disease sweeping through their communities. Read More>>

HIV/AIDS conference called a success

PRINCE ALBERT, SK, Mar 1, 2008 - An aboriginal HIV/AIDS and HCV (hepatitis C) conference was held in Prince Albert this week and it is being hailed as a success. Read More>>

Award-winning film examines native youth health issues

Mar 1, 2008 - Seeking Bimaadiziiwin filmmakers Michelle Derosier and Dave Clement were not the only ones surprised with the massive turnout at the benefit screening of their award-winning film. Read More>>

Native Women’s Association of Canada to actively participate at the National Working Summit on Aboriginal Health

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 29, 2008 – Beverley Jacobs, President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), will play a key role next week at the National Working Summit on Aboriginal Health in Winnipeg. Read More>>

Aboriginal Health Issues to be Discussed in Winnpeg

Feb 29, 2008 - First Nations and Métis Relations Minister June Draude will be in Winnipeg on Monday and Tuesday to attend a National Aboriginal Health Working Summit. Read More>>

High rates of stomach bacteria in Arctic hamlet: study

Feb. 29, 2008 - A recent study of residents in Aklavik, N.W.T., has found a shockingly high infection rate of a stomach bacterium that has been linked to cancer. Read More>>

Youth health conference in works

FORT FRANCES, ON, Feb. 27, 2008 - A Youth Health and Wellness Conference, presented by Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre and the Métis Nation of Ontario Health Branch Services, is being planned for March 27-28. Read More>>

Help for natives falls far short, chiefs say

OTTAWA, Feb. 27, 2008 - The Conservatives will try to alleviate the impoverished conditions on Canada's aboriginal reserves by helping their members get jobs. But aboriginal groups say the money set aside in the budget yesterday falls far short of what is needed to address the vast scope of the problems. Read More>>

New Aboriginal HIV-STI Program

Feb. 26, 2008 - A new program debuted yesterday in Prince George to reduce the number of HIV-AIDS cases and sexually transmitted infections in B.C.'s aboriginal community. Read More>>

One-third of Nunavut health jobs vacant, MLAs told

Feb. 26, 2008 - Nunavut's Health and Social Services Department is struggling to find health workers to fill numerous job vacancies, MLAs in the legislative assembly learned Monday. Read More>>

Push for moratorium on new oilsands development

CALGARY, Feb. 25, 2008 - Aboriginal leaders in Alberta are supporting a business-led push for a moratorium on new oilsands development. Read More>>

Sarnia First Nation near 'Chemical Valley' calls for emission limits

Feb. 21, 2008 - An Aboriginal community in the heart of Canada's so-called Chemical Valley is calling for government help and stronger industry standards in the wake of new test results showing high levels of five toxic chemicals in the air. Read More>>

Sarsfield demands end to two-drinking fountain system

Feb. 21, 2008 - Dr. Pete Sarsfield has retired but in the final years of his career, he has forced the provincial government to take a hard look at jurisdiction, responsibility and funding for health promotion and disease prevention on the First Nations of the Northwest. Read More>>

Yellow Quill Seeks Federal Funding For Treatment Centre

Feb. 21, 2008 - The Chief of the Yellow Quill First Nation says he is discussing the proposal for a drug and alcohol treatment centre with the Chiefs of two other First Nations, and Health Canada. Read More>>

Feds target smoking, Aboriginal health issues

Feb. 18, 2008 - The federal government has unveiled about $1 million to help deal with smoking issues and aboriginal health matters. Read More>>

Health workers 'not alone' helping aboriginal communities face sex issues

Feb. 15, 2008 - Organizers of a sexual health conference held this week in Inuvik, N.W.T., say they hope front-line health workers can leave the event knowing they have the resources to tackle sex issues in aboriginal and Inuit communities. Read More>>

ACE unveils burden of disease placed on Aboriginal Canadians

VANCOUVER, Feb. 14, 2008 - Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) today called attention to the growing crisis of arthritis in Canada's aboriginal communities. Read More>>

Fair will teach kids about traditional native tobacco

BRANTFORD, ON, Feb. 14, 2008 - A nutrition fair that will also help educate kids on the difference between smoking cigarettes and using traditional native tobacco will be held Friday at Central Public School. Read More>>

First Nations must take responsibility for selves: chief

Feb. 13, 2008 - First Nations people have to start taking responsibility and blame for the "chaos, turmoil and despair" plaguing reserves, a respected chief and chair of a women's commission told Saskatchewan's Indian leaders Wednesday. Read More>>

Health Canada Rescinds “Do Not Consume Order” Water Advisory

GILFORD ISLAND, BC, Feb. 13, 2008 - The Kwicksutaineuk Ah-kwa-mish First Nation is extremely pleased to announce that the Health Canada "Do Not Consume" order for our village drinking water was lifted on January 7, 2008. Read More>>

Aboriginal health research network flourishes at U of T

Feb. 13, 2008 - Two U of T professors are helping to put U of T’s research in aboriginal health on the map as they lead the Ontario armof the newly created Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR). Read More>>

Kawacatoose First Nation announces plan to open health care centre

Feb. 11, 2008 - Wait times in Saskatchewan for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests could be reduced with the Kawacatoose First Nation's plan to open a health-care facility in east Regina. Read More>>

Training will improve patient access to hospital services

Feb. 11, 2008 - Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre will hold an in-service training session this week that will assist First Nations patients in getting better access to services and care between clinics and hospitals in the region. Read More>>

Cancer-fighting teen launches appeal for bone marrow donors

Feb. 11, 2008 - A teenager in northern Manitoba is hoping her personal struggle with cancer will inspire others to register to become bone marrow donors. Read More>>

Medical team targeting stomach cancer in North

Feb. 11, 2008 - A NWT hamlet is the testing ground for innovative treatment of a disease that is twice as common in Arctic natives. Read More>>

AIDS advocates call for support as epidemic grows in aboriginal communities

Feb. 8, 2008 - As the number of aboriginal people living with HIV and AIDS in Canada grows, efforts to address the situation should consider the social factors, such as poverty, behind the epidemic, advocates say. Read More>>

Ontario First Nations get $3B over next 25 years in new revenue sharing deal

TORONTO, Feb 7, 2008 - Ontario's aboriginal communities are getting more than $3 billion over the next 25 years for community health care, education and infrastructure as part of a new deal to share revenue from provincial lotteries and casinos. Read More>>

Aboriginal people the most at risk of obesity: study

Feb. 7, 2008 - In the past 25 years the rates of people who are overweight or suffering from obesity has reached epidemic levels and aboriginal people are more most at risk, according to Statistics Canada. Read More>>

Thevarge receives award from PM

Feb. 7, 2008 - A member of the N’Quatqua First Nation near D’Arcy last week was one of 14 nurses honoured with awards presented by Prime Minister Stephen Harper for exceptional service in recognition of the launch of the Canadian Nurses Association’s (CNA) centennial year. Read More>>

New board addresses Aboriginal health

Feb. 6, 2008 - Addressing serious health concerns amongst Aboriginal people will be the focus of the newly-created Aboriginal Health Secretariat in the North Simcoe Muskoka area. Read More>>

Week takes a hard look at Aboriginal health

EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 4, 2008 - Aboriginal people are Canada's fastest-growing population, and their health concerns can't be left out in the cold, says the organizer of the University of Alberta's first-ever Aboriginal Health Awareness Week. Read More>>

Reserve closes police station due to health and safety violations, calls for help

TORONTO, Feb. 4, 2008 - One of Ontario's largest aboriginal reserves has been forced to close a main police detachment because it doesn't have running water, uses "medieval locks" and relies on a wood fire in a 45 gallon drum, the community's grand chief said Monday. Read More>>

Millions in aboriginal compensation buy joy but also breed fresh trauma

OTTAWA, Feb. 3, 2008 - Almost $1.2 billion in native residential school payments have been a joyful windfall for most former students, but they have also brought fresh trauma - especially for those still fighting related demons. Read More>>

HIV rate soars among Vancouver's native drug users

Feb. 1, 2008 - Startling new research reveals that aboriginal drug users living in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside are contracting HIV-AIDS at twice the rate of non-aboriginal users. Read More>>

Coalition urges slowdown on oilsands

EDMONTON, Jan 31, 2008 - A coalition of groups in Alberta called on the provincial government today to stop approving any more oilsands projects. Read More>>

Preventing suicide among aboriginal teens

Jan. 31, 2008 - Suicide is a grave problem among aboriginal people– the most recent stats, from the Canadian Institute of Child Health, found 126 out of every 100,000 native people has committed suicide, compared with 24 per 100,000 in the rest of the country. Read More>>

N.W.T. research suggests Inuit genetic link to respiratory infections

Jan. 30, 2008 - Research by health officials in the Northwest Territories is raising questions about a possible genetic link between Inuit babies and respiratory infections. Read More>>

Failing grade for Aboriginal health

Jan. 30, 2008 - A report released by Statistics Canada shows many aboriginal people need to change their eating habits if they hope to avoid becoming overweight. Read More>>

Aboriginal nursing funding

Jan. 27, 2008 - Aboriginal students in the Okanagan-Shuswap are getting some educational funding. Read More>>

Natives truly are what they eat; Sugar intake inflaming diabetes

Jan. 26, 2008 - Type 2 diabetes was once virtually unheard of in children, but today, aboriginal children barely in grade school are suffering from the disease. Read More>>

Study praises Head Start program

YELLOWKNIFE, Jan. 25, 2008 - Children in Ndilo and Yellowknife are benefiting from the Aboriginal Head Start Program, according to a study released Jan. 18. Read More>>

Ottawa creates Inuit health office

Jan. 25, 2008 - The federal government, in a move that follows a persistent lobbying effort by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, will create an Inuit-specific unit inside Health Canada. Read More>>

Getting aboriginal youth to butt out could prevent many future cancers

TORONTO, Jan. 24, 2008 - Rob Hurley was just 13 the first time he lit up a cigarette and started down the road to becoming a full-time smoker. Picking up the habit wasn't all that unusual for someone so young - tobacco use where he grew up was all around him. Read More>>

Inuit lifespan stagnates while Canada's rises

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2008 - The Inuit in Canada's far north have lifespans 12 to 15 years shorter than the average Canadian's, government data showed on Wednesday, putting the aboriginal people on a par with developing countries such as Guatemala and Mongolia. Read More>>

Study says Inuit lifespans actually shrinking as average lifespans increase

Jan. 23, 2008 - In a country where people live longer and longer, a groundbreaking study of life expectancy trends in the Arctic suggests Inuit lives are actually getting shorter. Read More>>

Higher obesity rates found in off-reserve aboriginal people: study

Jan. 23, 2008 - Aboriginal people living off-reserve are two and a half times more likely to be overweight than non-aboriginal people, according to Statistics Canada. Read More>>

Young aboriginal women most likely to be overweight: report

OTTAWA, Jan. 23, 2008 - The poor eating habits of young aboriginal women could be a driving force behind the difference in obesity rates between Canada's aboriginal and non-aboriginal population, according to a report released Wednesday by Statistics Canada. Read More>>

Funds aimed at aboriginal health

WINNIPEG, Jan. 23, 2008 - Ottawa is spending $15.8 million over three years -- including $1.76 million in Manitoba -- to support regional research into aboriginal health issues. Read More>>

Suicide rate in Hazelton alarming: Northern Health

Jan. 23, 2008 - Recent suicides and suicide attempts in the community of Hazelton is of major concern to Northern Health. Read More>>