Statement made on 10 June 2009 by Senator Sharon Carstairs (retired)
Hon. Sharon Carstairs:
Honourable senators, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate with respect to the H1N1 outbreak in Northern Manitoba reserves and in Nunavut. Last evening, there were 21 cases in ICU. Half of those were Aboriginal people. They were all on respirators. The World Health Organization has expressed concern over the severity of these cases. They base that concern on what happened with the Spanish flu pandemic that killed as many as 90 per cent of the residents in some Aboriginal communities.
Can the leader tell me if the Minister of Health has struck a special task force to ensure that problems specific to the health needs of those living in Aboriginal communities will be addressed?
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