Edition 14: COVID-19 Bulletin for First Nations and Indigenous Peoples

#BreakTheChain Issue No. 14 June 25th 2020

COVID-19 Information for First Nations Taking Stock on Canada’s Response This is the fourteenth in a weekly series, prepared as a free informational tool by Bimaadzwin Inc. Updated as of June 25th, 2020

COVID-19 and the ongoing outbreak..

Dr. Tam Says..

Ontario’s Ongoing Situation..

Northern Ontario FNs Recognized..

Sick Kids Recommends Tips for Safe Schools..

In this Issue…

Nova Scotia Looking Up..

Powwows Moving Online..

First Nations-run COVID-19 Testing Centre..

Re-Opening Your Business Safely..

COVID-19 and Moving Season..

US Visitors’ Sneak Peek at Canada..

Outbreak and Lockdown in Eabametoong..

CERB Continued for Eight Weeks..

Ongoing COVID-19 Outbreak

There have been over 9.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world, with over 479,000 deaths.

In Canada, there are currently 101,963 confirmed cases– with 8,454 deaths across the country (June 17).

Cases: 24.06.2020

All regions of Canada are enforcing social distancing regulations. People are encouraged to stay home, except for going out for necessities like groceries or medication. While going outside to exercise, do not use parks or playgrounds – stick to trails and footpaths. Stay at least 2m (6ft) away from those who do not live with you while out exercising.

People are encouraged to not visit each other’s houses – and to not allow visitors into their own homes.

Although this distancing is difficult for everyone, it is a necessary step to protect the health and safety of everyone.

This is a challenging time for everyone. If you need to talk to someone – the Hope for Wellness Helpline (1-855-242-3310) is available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.

Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) is also available for those 5-29 years old.

Canada Rates 12th in COVID-19 Response

A new global preparedness report designed to classify analyse and rank 200 countries and regions around the world, using over 11,400 data points to see where each country’s coronavirus response compares to the others. Canada has ranked 12th in the world overall for its COVID-19 response, the only country in the Americas to be ranked in the first, or safest category.

Canada scored eighth in the world when considering how quickly and efficiently we responded to the crisis – and sixth in monitoring and detection. We were twelfth in regional resiliency – our ability as a country overall to come together behind a common response – and eleventh when it comes to the efficiency of our federal and regional governments.

Where Canada’s ranking fell was regarding healthcare readiness – that means the actual measure of hospitals, long-term care homes, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and both government and private partners actually being ready and prepared to deal with a pandemiclevel outbreak.

Although our response has been overall efficient – the report shows that at the very least – it caught us off guard!

Canadians are surely feeling the pressure of fourteen weeks in what was essentially a nation-wide lockdown – and many are excited to see some of their favourite businesses starting to open, and are even planning some travels later this summer.

Canada’s Lockdown has Positive Impact

There are a lot of important lessons that Canada will take from this pandemic – but public health experts are saying that the economic and social lockdown that has taken place over these last weeks has been critical in reducing the spread of COVID-19 around the country – and has likely saved tens of thousands of lives.

Compared to some early predictions in April – which said that up to 80% of Canadians could get infected, and over 300,000 could die – the slow and consistent rise in cases means that this is just no longer the case. Individuals and families taking the threat of this virus seriously, staying at home when possible, wearing a mask out in public, and staying at least two metres away from people outside their home has done so much to slow the spread of the virus.

It is critical that as provinces continue their opening plans – and as summer continues to draw us outside – that we keep to these simple social distancing and personal hygiene recommendations to keep ourselves, and our entire community safe.

US-Canada Border Update

The US-Canada border continues to be closed to nonessential travel, for at least another month. The border was closed back in March to slow the spread of COVID-19 between Canada and the USA – and besides some healthcare workers, and logistics workers like long-haul truckers, there hasn’t been much crossing in the last months.

Public Health Officials in Canada are watching the cases in the US – especially northern states closely, and many say that they will need to see a continued slow of the spread south of the border before any move to reopen will be made.

Despite the border having now been closed for a long time – there are still ‘thousands’ of Americans trying to cross to shop and vacation in Canada.

Since the pandemic restrictions were imposed, the Canada Border Services Agency has said that over 7,500 foreigners have been turned away for trying to visit for non-essential reasons – including sightseeing, shopping, and recreation.

Alberta is the first province in Canada to start targeted serology testing to help more accurately track the spread of COVID-19 throughout the province.

Alberta Moves on Serology Testing

The testing is designed to detect the presence of antibodies in people’s blood that would let healthcare professionals know if the person has been exposed to the virus in the past – either as a non-symptomatic case, or someone whose body fought the virus off naturally. This information, once collected, will help scientists understand more about the virus – and maybe even learn about the ways that some of our bodies have been able to resist the virus.

The province is spending $10-million on the testing program – to cover four voluntary public health studies in different regions of the province. It is important to note that serology testing does not replace the testing currently available to Albertans – as it does not indicate whether someone is currently sick, contagious, or immune to COVID-19.

Canada’s Contact Tracing App Highlights Inequalities

The Government of Canada’s adoption of a COVID-19 contract-tracing app has many wondering about the systematic inequalities that have long existed in the Canadian healthcare system – having a tool in your pocket to warn you about potential COVID-19 exposure is incredible – however, those who are at a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, are those less-likely to have or use a smartphone.

The contact-tracing app is being explored as an additional tool to help fight COVID-19 – it would be used on a voluntary basis – using the person’s location data to inform them if there is a chance they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. An example would be, a user of the app went to get groceries one day, and stopped in for a COVID-19 test the next day. They test positive – so the app can now alert everyone else who was near them – like other shoppers in the store – that they should self-isolate until they can get tested.

However – there are two populations in Canada that are at higher risk due to COVID-19 that are being overlooked by this solution – because it depends on the ability of someone to access and use a smartphone. Older populations are less likely to own a smartphone, or to get frustrated when learning new apps or other program tools.

Second, there are still countless indigenous communities in Canada where members might be avid smartphone users - but in which adequate cellular data service does not yet exist for the app to be functional. These oversights in how the app might be adopted across the country really demonstrates some of the ongoing gaps and challenges that continue persist in our healthcare system.

Carole Dawson, a long-time champion of Indigenous health and rights in B.C., has died from COVID-19, according to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC).

BC Elder Carole Dawson Dies of COVID-19

A statement from the UBCIC said that Dawson played an integral role in improving both health care and child welfare for Indigenous families, and was "a champion in holding Canada accountable for the pervasive discrimination contributing to underfunded and inequitable Indigenous health-care systems."

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of UBCIC, said that Dawson, his long-time friend and colleague, was "an Elder, a language speaker, an advocate, a mother, a healer, and a guide." "She was deeply loved and trusted by our people ...

She was a powerhouse of knowledge with respect to our community and our leadership," he said.

Dawson was a survivor of the St. Michael's Residential School at Alert Bay on Cormorant Island, just off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, and spent much of her life helping others overcome trauma and addictions by championing culturally appropriate health care for Indigenous people. The statement from the UBCIC said the loss of Dawson was a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a threat to Indigenous lives and welfare. – See the full CBC article here: CBC - Elder Carole Dawson

Listuguj Checkpoint Situation

The Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government is taking a recent situation as a reminder and learning opportunity for the federal government – about better communication from federal service providers visiting communities during the time of COVID-19. Two employees from Fisheries and Oceans Canada crossed a security checkpoint established to stop the spread of COVID-19 into the community.

Listuguj checkpoint supervisors told the officers that they were not supposed to enter the community, no matter if they were with the government – because they were not from the community, and had not registered their visit with the nation’s staff.

The nation’s government is reminding all visitors – government or not – that communication is key, and giving the nation advance notice allows people to prepare for proper social distancing protections to be put in place – to protect both the members and the visitors from the spread of COVID-19.

The situation in Listuguj is an excellent reminder for anyone planning to travel to a First Nation for work or for any other reason – reach out to the nation beforehand to confirm what restrictions are in place, and what you might have to do to make sure your visit is a safe and healthy one!

Indigenous Tourism Businesses Look to Summer 2020

The indigenous tourism industry has been experiencing its strongest period of continued growth over the last couple of years – especially in Ontario and British Columbia – and businesses are aware that this year’s tourist season has the potential to be the biggest challenge to the industry in generations.

The federal government recently announced an infusion of $16million dollars into indigenous tourism – as a part of a larger $133 million for indigenous businesses suffering from the impacts of COVID-19 – in the form of $25,000 grants for individual businesses.

With ongoing travel restrictions limiting international travel this year – many businesses are turning their eyes towards those travellers in their own province that are themselves looking for a unique adventure close to home. In Ontario, northern tourism businesses – which typically rely on tourists from the Unites States – are turning their eyes to the south of the province to entice tourists to come check out their own backyard!

If you’re planning on travelling somewhere this summer – consider a trip somewhere nearby, and support the local businesses that are trying to hold out through the crisis.

Powwow Held at Kahnawake Hospital

The annual Echoes of a Proud Nation Powwow hosted annually by the Mohawks of Kahnawake was cancelled this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – but this wouldn’t stop a small group of dancers from the community from bringing the celebration to the Elders and long-term-care residents in the community.

On Sunday, the Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre in Kahnawake organized a mini-powwow outside of the centre for the Elders and residents inside. The patients were able to see the dancers from their rooms, as well as from an outside balcony area. The afternoon included a grand entry, traditional Haudenosaunee songs and dance, as well as an honour song for the frontline workers inside.

The sound system was connected to speakers inside the hospital so that the residents and staff inside could hear the drum group, and the MC for the event, Don Barnaby. "They needed some medicine to lift their spirits up. For us to be able to do that, to be able to dance for them, was the greatest gift I could give them," said Barnaby. "It's not a medicine you can find in a pill or in a shot, but we were trying to help heal their spirit."

Check out videos and the full CBC article here: CBC - Kateri Hospital Powwow

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day During COVID-19

Indigenous Peoples Day looked a little different this year – with annual gatherings that have only been getting larger over the years cancelled for 2020 – and the ability for families and communities to come together being severely limited by COVID-19. However, many communities and organizations have turned their celebrations into online gatherings in different ways – not letting the pandemic bring down the day!

In British Columbia – Simon Fraser University held its annual Honouring Feast for Indigenous grads virtually this year – by having speakers, presenters, and grads connecting via Zoom. They even hired the caterer they’ve used for the last three years – Salishan Catering from the Musqueum First Nation – to prepare and deliver a alder-grilled salmon and blackberry sauce dinner to all 122 students and their families at home – to share together while on Zoom!

In Saskatchewan – Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head and Lean Man First Nation held a drive-in celebration on Sunday. Attendees were treated to a special 90-minute show organized by the community – and most people stayed in their vehicles, or sat on lawn chairs spaced out in a field. Social distancing was enforced, and all visitors were registered at a checkpoint to keep track of attendees in the chance someone later tests positive for the virus.

First Nation Communities Celebrating Pride Month

Across Canada, communities celebrate Pride Month in June to recognize and celebrate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two Spirit, Queer, and Questioning individuals in their communities – and to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ2S+ community in the challenges they face. This year, a number of First Nation communities are celebrating pride – some for the very first time!

Leadership of Grand Council Treaty #3 and Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh have declared June as Pride Month across the Treaty #3 territory – for the first time in history. Throughout the month, Grand Council Treaty #3 and Kavanaugh will be partaking in many Pride events across the region, and have committed to reassessing organizational and governance structures to ensure a more inclusive role for LGBTQ2S+ individuals within the region. Grand Council Treaty #3 staff add that it’s especially important this year to address the struggles of the LGBTQ2S+ community, as LGBTQ2S+ residents already experience much higher rates of violence and social isolation through society.

In Alberta, Maskwacis celebrated its third Pride day with a flag raising and painting a rainbow crosswalk between the Samson Cree Nation Band office and the Okeymoykisik Gas Bar. It’s believed that Maskwacis was the first First Nations community to paint a crosswalk in celebration of LGBTQ2s Pride two years ago – and the community was excited to bring the tradition back, as a way to show appreciation for the LGBTQ2s+ community while gatherings are cancelled due to the pandemic.

Health Canada has put out some important ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ for safely wearing a non-medical mask or face covering.

Do's

Do’s and Don’ts of Wearing a Mask Safely

DO wear a non-medical mask or face covering to protect others.

DO ensure the mask is made of at least two layers of tightly woven fabric.

DO inspect the mask for tears or holes.

DO ensure the mask or face covering is clean and dry.

DO wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after touching the mask or face covering.

DO use the ear loops or ties to put on and remove the mask.

DO ensure your nose and mouth are fully covered.

DO replace and launder your mask whenever is becomes damp or dirty.

DO wash your mask with hot, soapy water and let it dry completely before wearing it again.

DO store re-usable masks in a clean paper bag until you wear it again.

DO discard masks that cannot be washed in a plastic lined garbage bin after use.

Don'ts

DON'T reuse masks that are moist, dirty or damaged.

DON'T wear a loose mask.

DON'T touch the mask while wearing it.

DON'T remove the mask to talk to someone.

DON'T hang mask from your neck or ears.

DON'T share your mask.

DON'T leave your used mask within the reach of others.

Miigwetch This information has been brought to you as a free public service by:

The content of this presentation is for informational purposes only.

Those who may have come into contact with COVID-19, or who have symptoms must self-isolate and call their health authority.

This presentation was developed to assist First Nation citizens and governments in understanding and responding to the growing crisis.

Information contained in this presentation is accurate as of June 25th, 2020.