Quick response by First Nations holding off virus
But Siksika health official says federal communication ‘very disappointing’
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the Calgary zone, some Indigenous communities in the area continue to ramp up measures to protect their members and say nothing is off the table in an effort to keep the virus out.
“Our No. 1 priority is protecting the health of nation members,” said Tyler White, CEO of Siksika Health. “We took some early steps to respond not only by getting our structure organized but also in identifying essential services and trying to anticipate what we’ll need moving forward so we’re proactive even though we’re dealing with a lot of unknowns.”
Siksika Nation, located an hour southeast of Calgary, currently has around 7,700 nation members, half living on reserve and half living off reserve, White said.
Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 10, Siksika Nation has declared a state of local emergency, enacted its emergency operational plan, created a COVID Response Unit (CRU), set up a satellite health clinic and established a call line for isolation and mental health supports, which includes a Blackfoot translation.
On Thursday during her daily address, Alberta’s chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw praised the work done by Siksika, praising the quick action taken by leaders to prepare for the spread of the virus, including the establishment of the CRU and call line.
White said so far there are no known cases of COVID -19 among Siksika members but he’s aware it’s just a matter of time before there are.
“We have some previous experience with the floods, H1N1 (and) SARS, so there was some history there we were able to rely on so we quickly mobilized,” White said.
“We are fortunate that we have our own public health doctor, who isn’t a rock star like Hinshaw, but at the same time has been very helpful in laying out guidelines and precautions.”
White said First Nations communities face unique challenges in preparing for COVID-19.
“You have to look at the health and medical issues First Nations people face ... There’s definitely some health inequities and disparities and high-risk and vulnerable populations here, so that to me is a great concern: How are we supporting and responding to our members in a timely fashion?”
When it comes to communication among levels of government, White said the province of Alberta and AHS have been helpful but the response from Health Canada and their federal partners at Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) has been “very disappointing.”
“When this hit, there was no information coming out and when it did, it was a week and a half late ... Stuff would come to us Friday night that we needed Monday morning.
“Hopefully, moving forward, there will be a lot more timely response and resources getting out to the community because there’s a potential catastrophe if these supports aren’t in place,” White said.
Siksika leadership isn’t the only Indigenous nation concerned about federal response and guidance around COVID -19 preparedness.
On March 24, Tsuut’ina Nation Chief Roy Whitney called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement on financial support and testing kits for Indigenous communities “unsatisfactory.”
In a video posted to the Tsuut’ina Communications Facebook page, Whitney said Tsuut’ina, regional chiefs and Treaty 7 chiefs had a conference call and agreed to send a letter to the PM’S office “expressing our disappointment.”
The following day, Whitney said he was informed each First Nation would received $125,000 immediately. This allowed Tsuut’ina to provide a $200 emergency relief payment to each nation citizen.
In addition to the relief payment, Tsuut’ina, which borders Calgary in the southwest quadrant, has also set up a phone line to complement 811 that includes mental health and isolation supports. There is also a service for residents in isolation who don’t have access to a friend or family member to help them access essential services.
“The biggest thing is making sure there is an awareness of the provincial guidelines and that they’re being followed,” Tsuut’ina Nation spokesman Gordon Olson said, adding the nation declared a local state of emergency on March 16.
Olson said communication between Whitney and the City of Calgary has been well-established and that there’s a “particularly strong ” relationship with the provincial government.
Tsuut’ina Nation employees who were laid off from the Grey Eagle Casino and Events Centre have been encouraged to apply for the various employment programs available through the provincial and federal governments, Olson said.
Further south, the Blood Tribe and Kainai Nation, which runs west and south of Lethbridge, are also in a state of local emergency since March 16 and have pooled resources to provide emergency hampers to members across the province.
As one of the largest First Nations in Canada with 15,000 members living across the province, Blood Tribe councillor Lance Tailfeathers said in preparing for the threat of COVID-19 entering the reserve, the key is to be “mindful of the logistics and safety precautions.”
“Within our own resources and some of the businesses that work with the tribe, we pulled together $500,000 for immediate response and we’re providing hampers for our members,” Tailfeathers said.
“We have volunteers and some front line workers organizing and we’ve teamed up with the City of Lethbridge, and in Calgary are working with the Blackfoot Confederacy to deliver hampers to our Calgary members as well.”
Tailfeathers said the Kainai management and department of health meet daily to share updates on the virus’s spread and that Chief Roy Fox is working closely with the Blackfoot Confederacy, (and) chiefs in Treaty 7 territory, “networking, as far as leadership.”
Like Siksika and Tsuut’ina, Tailfeathers said the Kainai don’t think the resources made available by the federal government are sufficient.
“We’re trying to use as much as we can internally but sometimes that just doesn’t quite cut it,” he said. “When you look at the ($300 million) at the end of the day, you’re dividing it by 645 First Nation, along with Inuit and Métis, communities so that’s not a lot by the time it gets to each nation.”
There’s definitely some health inequities and disparities and high-risk and vulnerable populations here.