First Nations take initiative in keeping COVID-19 at bay
First Nations across B.C. have developed their own strategies to keep their members safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, an approach that will continue as the province moves toward the next phase of its reopening plan.
While the techniques have varied, one trait they have in common is caution. B.C. Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee said all Indigenous communities have experienced pandemics and illnesses that decimated their populations.
“That’s really strong in our oral histories, our collective histories,” Teegee said. “I think when this pandemic happened, that was really fresh in our minds.”
Indigenous communities are particularly at risk of “severe outcomes” related to COVID-19 because of poor access to health care and resources, higher rates of illness, and their often remote locations, Canada’s chief public health officer has said.
When it comes to decision-making in B.C., Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, secretary-treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, said the province’s more than 200 First Nations communities are geographically dispersed, and personal preferences along with jurisdictional issues have influenced how they responded to the pandemic.
“Our communities on reserve, we’re doing everything we can, but we also need to have co-ordination between the local municipalities and the province,” Wilson said. “A lot of our communities had to be very innovative about how we do things to ensure our members are safe, and I think the biggest part was the isolation.”
As of late last month, 57 First Nations communities in B.C. had declared states of emergency, and 109 had closed or limited access to their territories. At the same time, 154 band offices and 16 tribal councils were closed, and 101 First Nations emergency operations centres established.
“First Nations, under their own self-determination, sovereignty, made these decisions to close off their community to keep their community safe, knowing full well that, quite frankly, they’re protecting their communities, protecting their elders,” Teegee said.
A state of emergency has been in effect in Haida Gwaii since March, which includes restrictions on travel to and from the islands.
This week, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and board of directors, based in Port Alberni, met to discuss access to their territories and reiterated that the health, safety and well-being of the community come before economics.
Local states of emergency remain in effect and territories are closed to visitors.
Some First Nations communities have kept their lands open throughout the pandemic or have already lifted restrictions on access.
Kelly Lake Cree First Nation, which borders Alberta, didn’t have checkpoints, but discouraged visitors to their territory. Anyone who did visit was asked to observe safety protocols. Chief Kwarakwante Cliff Calliou said the nation sought help from outside the community, a co-ordinator distributed information and donations, and members looked out for themselves and each other to stay safe. They have not had any cases of COVID-19.
At the beginning of June, Blueberry River First Nations in northern B.C. removed the security checkpoint that had been in place since April. It has been more than a month since there was an active case of COVID-19 in the community.
Indigenous Services Canada is aware of 43 cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves in B.C., which is home to almost one-third of the country’s Indigenous communities. The First Nations Health Authority expects to release more detailed data next week.
“It could have been (worse) if our First Nations communities did not rely on their own jurisdiction and authority to self-isolate and close down,” Wilson said.
“Many of our First Nations did that because they experienced smallpox and the Spanish flu, so I think there is a living history there and a lot of the communities said, ‘Just shut down.’ ”