Statement made on 16 June 2009 by Senator Charlie Watt
Hon. Charlie Watt:
Honourable senators, I have a question for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Swine flu has put pressure on the Manitoba health system. I listened to a radio call-in show over the weekend from the North, including Nunavut and Nunavik, talking about what is happening in some isolated communities. The Minister of Health of Nunavut indicated that the situation is becoming more and more alarming every day, even in small communities. This morning, I read in a newspaper article that the outbreak is getting to the point where it may become uncontrollable in Manitoba.
Honourable senators, H1N1 is affecting our Aboriginal communities at a disproportionate rate. In Nunavik alone, at least 25 cases have been reported. The Chief Medical Officer of Health for Manitoba has said there is overrepresentation from the First Nations and Aboriginal populations in the most serious cases.
This is a serious matter. It needs to be looked at immediately before we lose complete control. What is this government doing to address the medical needs of Aboriginal people in Canada? What is being done to ensure that medical supplies are available to all affected communities?
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