By Andy Crosby
Members of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (ABL) protested changes to Health Canada’s medical transportation policy outside the Brooke Claxton Building in Ottawa on Jan. 14.
New procedures that took effect on Jan. 1 are putting community members’ health at risk, according to a press release. “Recent changes to the administration of medical transportation services in the community are leading to delays, loss of access to transportation and gross inefficiencies in the use of funds.”
Health Canada is responsible for providing medical services to the ABL and other Indigenous communities across Canada.
“Health Canada manages a nursing station there and has a contribution agreement with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake’s Band Council,” Maryse Durette, Senior Media Relations Advisor with Health Canada, told the Leveller. “Health Canada is directly providing medical transportation and mandatory and essential services.”
In spite of this, delays in receiving dialysis treatments and in responding to medical emergencies, including that of an infant, as well as over 20 missed medical appointments, prompted the community to take action.
Prior to Jan. 1, travel expenses were efficiently managed by community-level health centre staff members using drivers contracted from the community, the ABL contended.
Health Canada’s unilateral changes include requiring approval with 48 hours’ notice and disclosure of personal medical information before a taxi can be summoned from Maniwaki or Val d’Or.
“I don’t understand the logic; it costs $532 to bring taxis into the community,” ABL member Tony Wawatie told the Ottawa Citizen outside Health Canada.
The community argues that the use of taxis would cost upwards of $20,000 for a two-week period. Members are also wary of taking taxis with strangers in such a remote area who do not speak their language, given the ongoing reality of violence against Indigenous women in the region.
The community argues that the federal government does not trust the First Nation to manage its own programs and wants to be given back the authority to manage its own transportation budget.
“We can handle this issue locally, do it more efficiently, be more responsive and have it cost a lot less than the current mess created by Health Canada,” stated Chief Casey Ratt in the aforementioned press release.
The ABL were successful in securing a meeting with Sony Perron, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch at Health Canada, in the building that day, according to a social media post by Barriere Lake Solidarity.
“Health Canada officials met with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake Band delegation on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016 to discuss how the community could be responsible for the management of medical transportation,” confirmed Durette.
“Health Canada’s first concern is to ensure that the residents of Barriere Lake receive the necessary health services and care and continues to provide essential health services to the people there.”
However, the community released a subsequent press release on Jan. 21 expressing their disappointment with Health Canada’s response.
“While we appreciated the opportunity to dialogue with Health Canada, the paternalistic attitude of Health Canada bureaucrats has left the community infuriated,” said Chief Ratt. “Health Canada has failed to respect the community’s authority to administer medical transportation services that are culturally appropriate and ensure the health, safety and security of community members.”
The ABL feel that being singled out and targeted by the Canadian government is in contradiction to the Liberal government’s promise for a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples.
“Health Canada makes up rules as they go which clearly confirms that both [Third Party Managers] and the regional office have not implemented the national medical transportation framework policy since 2006,” stated Jessica Thusky, Health Coordinator at Barriere Lake. “We have not heard from other First Nations complaining about medical transportation services. Why is our community being treated this way as we are the most vulnerable of all other nine Algonquin First Nation communities?”
This article first appeared in the Leveller Vol. 8 No. 4 (Jan/Feb 2016).
