Ontario First Nations Pandemic: First Nation H1N1 Situational Update

As of July 17, 2009, there are over 10,000 laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 flu cases in Canada. Of these, 3636 have been in Ontario. Among First Nations on reserve, 60 confirmed cases have been reported in ten communities in Sioux Lookout Zone, eight communities in Thunder Bay zone and one community in Southern Zone.
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BC First Nations community to reclaim buildings, go geothermal

A project is underway to retrofit overcrowded, degraded buildings in a British Columbia (B.C.) First Nations community.
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Canada natives fear swine flu spread in coming months

Canada's native communities already hard hit by the swine flu pandemic could witness a devastating spike in the number of cases during the region's long winter months ahead, health experts warn.
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Toxins to be removed from former Arctic military site

Various toxic contaminants will be cleaned up from an abandoned American military site north of Clyde River, Nunavut, as part of a multi-year cleanup project by the Canadian government and local Inuit.
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GN to start vaccinating girls against HPV

The Government of Nunavut plans to start vaccinating all Grade 6 female students this winter against the human papillomavirus, or HPV.
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National First Nations chief talks tough

The new national leader of aboriginals in Canada served notice to the federal government Thursday that he will be taking a tough stand to ensure Ottawa fulfils its obligations to his people.
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Atleo elected new AFN chief

Shawn Atleo has been elected as the new national chief of the Assembly of First Nations after an eighth ballot.
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CMAJ: Federal policies fuel spread of swine flu

Longstanding federal strategies and polices have exacerbated the rapid spread of Novel A(H1N1) influenza in remote First Nations communities, public health officials and aboriginal health experts charge.
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New project targets First Nations diabetes with better access to food and education

The project — which is a collaboration between the local First Nation Band Council and University of Toronto researchers — is a good example of how grass roots enthusiasm can improve aboriginal health.
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Ottawa will weigh request for H1N1 priority

Government will consider risk factors facing native communities, including higher rates of underlying disease and crowded living conditions, when deciding who should be a priority for the H1N1 vaccine, a federal official said in Calgary on Wednesday.
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Liberals say squabbling between governments keeping flu help from native groups

Aboriginal communities have already been hit hard by the H1N1 virus, and now squabbling about who's responsible for their health is stalling vital flu preparations ahead of a potential resurgence, Liberal MPs and native leaders charged Tuesday.
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Elders help with Pandemic Preparations

First Nations have experienced epidemics and pandemics of diseases in the past and the knowledge gained from that experience exists in the hearts and minds of Elders who survived.
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Fontaine fears aboriginal people will be vulnerable to federal cuts

The outgoing national chief of the Assembly of First Nations said aboriginal people in Canada could be put in a vulnerable position once the country recovers from the recession and the federal government begins focusing on reducing the deficit.
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Native volunteers respond to blood drive call

Canada's bone marrow donor registry matches volunteers who are willing to donate their bone marrow to people who need it to treat life-threatening illnesses. About one per cent of the people on the registry are of aboriginal descent, officials say.
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New health centre opens to fanfare

Following a deeply significant ceremony, the H'ult-etun Health Society (HHS) opened its new headquarters July 15.
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First Nations need better access to swine flu vaccine: AFN

Canada's Aboriginal Peoples need to be guaranteed access to drugs to treat the H1N1 virus in the face of a looming vaccine shortage, the Assembly of First Nations said Friday.
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Introducing the First Online Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Training Program

The program called River of Life is designed to enhance the capacity of First Nations to implement suicide intervention, prevention and postvention approaches.
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For Native Groups, the Link Between Cultural Loss and Poor Health

Researchers say measures that fall outside traditional health interventions might be needed to deal with some of the problems.
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Canada's Inuit A/H1N1 flu cases much younger than other groups

The median age of the A/H1N1 flu cases among Canada's Inuit population is significantly younger than other groups, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported Friday.
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Aboriginal Nurses concerned about impact of H1N1 on First Nations, Métis and Inuit people at high health risk

In response to the World Health Organization's announcement Monday that all nations need to set priorities for the H1N1 vaccine as the pandemic is deemed unstoppable, the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) wants to highlight the critical need for ensuring the priority of First Nations, Inuit and Métis in receiving the seasonal flu vaccine when available in September and the pandemic H1N1 later in October or November.

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Yellow Quill mourns swine flu victim

A funeral was held Monday at the Yellow Quill First Nation for a 25-year-old woman who died of the H1N1 swine flu.
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Native leaders brace for flu season

Aboriginal leaders are bracing for a dark season on reserves if – as health authorities fear – the H1N1 virus's spread outpaces vaccine production at the height of the flu this autumn.
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Northern aboriginal suicide rate lower in Norway: researcher

Research suggests suicide rates among the Sami, the indigenous peoples of Norway, are lower than among other northern aboriginal groups.
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Why are aboriginals more susceptible to swine flu?

Social conditions on reserves, not genetic or the virus itself, are the cause of higher infection rates, study shows.
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SFI supports Habitat homes for Métis families

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) (SFI(R)) program is supporting a unique Habitat for Humanity partnership that will result in 11 energy-efficient homes for low-income working families in Winnipeg.
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Cultural Loss Leads to Poorer Health for Ethnic Minorities

Some of the longest-lasting consequences of colonialization have been the long-term health effects on indigenous people in the places where settlers moved.
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Grandmother knows best in First Nation's effort to curb drugs, gangs

The chief and council of the Piapot First Nation are planning to set up an on-call service of "kokums," the Cree word for grandmother, to counsel teens and young parents. Mothers may also be involved with the project.
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A burden of poor health: Report focuses on health of aboriginal children in Canada

A national report has focused a light on the disturbing state of health among aboriginal children across Canada.
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N.W.T. wants more aboriginal workers

The government of the Northwest Territories is redoubling its efforts to boost the number of aboriginal people in the public service – especially in management jobs.
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H1N1 flu cases top 1,000 in Alberta

On the same day the public learned a second Alberta woman had died after contracting swine flu, a local infectious disease doctor called the H1N1 flu pandemic "the most important" health event of the last 40 years.
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Ottawa pushes plan to boost native economy

Ottawa has unveiled a new blueprint to boost the economy of Canada's exploding first nations population, pledging to increase access to business loans, provide more government contracts and speed the pace of development on reserves.
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Concerns raised about Minto mine's water discharge orders

The Yukon government says it's not worried about an emergency order allowing the Minto mine to discharge waste water, but a First Nation near the mine wants a hearing into the matter.
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Aboriginal communities get boost to active living

The governments of Canada and Ontario provided support to 53 First Nations community recreation projects with $31 million.
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First Nations pandemic teams bracing for fall flu carnage

A day after Manitoba marked its fifth death from the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, First Nations emergency planners in the province gathered on Monday to talk about how to prevent carnage in their communities this fall, when the flu is expected to surge.
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Celebrating Canada's diversity

Education is power, particularly when it comes to solving problems in health care and education among Canada's first peoples.

That's the message Dr. Paulette Tremblay, chief executive officer of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) had for more than 30 seniors at Valleyview Home, Tuesday, as part of Canada Day celebrations at the local seniors' residence.
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International study links aboriginal health, lifestyle, local decision-making

Aboriginal people around the world are increasingly suffering from lifestyle-related illness such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes, according to a major new global study.
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