Manitoba Metis Federation

Thursday, July 29 2004

(Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON) - July 28, 2004 - Today, the leaders of Canada's three constitutionally recognized Aboriginal peoples met with Canada's Premiers to discuss Aboriginal health care in Canada. Métis National Council President Clément Chartier, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Jose Kusugak and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine made individual presentations to the provincial and territorial leaders prior to their Council of the Federation meeting in Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON.

In his presentation, President Chartier called on the Premiers to end health care discrimination against the Metis people. "Unfortunately, even though illness and diseases do not discriminate between the three constitutionally recognized Aboriginal peoples, Canada and the provinces' current health policies and approaches do when it comes to the Métis Nation. I call on the premiers and territorial leaders to support us in ending health care discrimination against the Métis Nation."

"The on-going and systemic exclusion of the Métis from the federal government's Aboriginal health initiatives is due to many factors, not the least of which has been willful blindness by the key decision-makers in health policy," said President Chartier. "Often times, we are told that jurisdiction is the 'culprit' as no one wants to take responsibility for Métis health. The result is that even though Métis people represent close to 26% of the Aboriginal population in Canada (2001 Census), they receive minimal access to federal Aboriginal health supports or services. When limited access is available, Métis people continue to encounter difficulties accessing provincial primary health case services and pan-Aboriginal models which fail to meet the unique needs of the Métis people. As a result, our people fall further behind average Canadians in many areas and behind other Aboriginal peoples in some health care indicators."

There is an expectation that the status quo denial of the unique needs of the Metis must be finally addressed in light of the recent landmark Supreme Court of Canada victory in Powley case, which recognized and affirmed that the Métis people have Aboriginal rights, equal in stature to that of First Nations and Inuit people. President Chartier added,"The old arguments for excluding the Métis Nation can no longer be defended. Further, the federal government must live up to its recent Speech from the Throne commitment to work with us in order to find a proper place for the Metis people within its policies. I am calling upon the Premiers to work collaboratively with the Metis Nation to ensure the federal government lives up to its obligations and commitments to the Metis Nation in any new Health Accord."

President Chartier presented the Premiers with a four point action plan to deal with Métis concerns in the current Aboriginal health care crisis. This four point plan focuses on: (1) building upon best practices in Métis health care; (2) developing a health career strategy for Métis people; (3) exploring new models to address jurisdictional barriers; and, (4) supporting Métis participation in developing health policy.

In addition, President Chartier joined with the national leaders of Canada's First Nations and Inuit peoples to ask provincial and territorial leaders to encourage Prime Minister Martin to provide the Aboriginal leadership with full participation in the next First Ministers Meeting on Health scheduled for September 2004.