THUNDER BAY -- Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler believes a process has begun that would bring stability to the health crisis in Northwestern Ontario’s remote First Nations.
NAN leaders met with federal Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett on Thursday as well as federal and provincial health ministers, Jane Philpottand Eric Hoskins, respectively.
“It was very positive. I’m hopeful they heard our message,” Fiddler said.
“The fact that they agreed to our proposal to start working on a process that will begin to address these issues -- some of them are immediate. Some of them are emergency-based -- but also to work together on longer-term solutions for the challenges we see in our communities.”
NAN declared a state of emergency on Feb. 24 alongside the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, detailing unsafe drinking water and insufficient health infrastructure throughout the far north.
In the month since that declaration, three Kashechewan First Nation children were airlifted out of the community for unexplained skin rashes and a house fire in Pikangikum First Nation killed nine people.
That fire is currently under investigation.
Fiddler testified on Friday at the inquest into the deaths of seven high school students from First Nations in NAN territory. Likewise, he said he hopes that process will end in a consensus between the federal, provincial and municipal governments along with the Thunder Bay Police Service and NAN.
“All of us have a responsibility to create that change,” Fiddler said.
“I’m hopeful by the meetings we had yesterday, the willingness to work together and making that change happen.”
