NEARBC NewsLine

Vaccine`s effectiveness on aboriginal babies studied

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:38:42 +0545

Edmonton-area parents of aboriginal infants are being asked to participate in a study of a federally approved vaccine against six childhood diseases, which may not be as effective in aboriginal children as it is in the general population.

Laughter and Suicide

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:37:47 +0545

The fight against the high rates of suicide among Indian people has found a seemingly unlikely champion in Lakota comedian J.R. Redwater. JR performed recently at Cankdeska Cikana Community College on the Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota as part of their suicide prevention program. A member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, JR’s take-no-prisoners approach to poking fun at reservation life has a poignant ring of first hand experience. Clearly, as my auntie would have said, "he’s been dragged across a few floors," in his life.

An apology for the Inuit five decades in the making

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:37:25 +0545

For more than an hour, a group of Inuit residents sat quietly in a small gymnasium, listening to an apology that was more than five decades in the making.

Canada`s Economic Action Plan Creates Jobs and Improves First Nations Housing in Yukon

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:35:40 +0545

The Government of Canada announced today an investment of more than $3.2 million as part of the year one and year two funding through Canada`s Economic Action Plan and On-Reserve Non Profit Housing Program (Section 95) funding to improve housing conditions for First Nations in Yukon.

Worst TB outbreak since 1999 hits Nunavut

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:35:06 +0545

Nunavut is now suffering the worst single tuberculosis outbreak since the territory’s creation on April 1, 1999.

General Assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:34:42 +0545

Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, the General Assembly declared today, voicing deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water.

Youths geared up for mining workshops

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:33:52 +0545

Though mining geologists often work more than a stone`s throw from remote First Nations, young people living at two Northwestern Ontario reserves will have geologists coming right to their doorstep this month.

Smoky air forces officials to issue bad-air alert for many part of B.C.

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:32:44 +0545

Microscopic particles of soot from hundreds of wildfires raging across British Columbia were blowing into Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley on Monday, forcing health and government officials to issue air quality advisories.

$9.47M pledged for aboriginal nurse training

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:38:43 +0545

Meagen Gunn will hang her licensed practical nurse diploma where she`s needed most -- a new aboriginal training program unveiled Monday in Winnipeg will help her do it.

Unique diabetes program has big impact on B.C. First Nation

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:37:07 +0545

Chief Robert Joseph was furious when he first laid eyes on Dr. Keith Dawson and his partner at an aboriginal health meeting.

Water as a human right

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:34:24 +0545

At the very time Canada was voting against a UN resolution making water a human right, more than 100 aboriginal communities across the country were facing drinking water advisories requiring them to boil their water or rely on emergency deliveries.

Tripartite Partners Initial Basis for a Framework Agreement

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:33:30 +0545

On July 26th, 2010 the Tripartite Partners representing the Government of Canada, the BC First Nations Health Council, and the Government of BC initialled the agreement on First Nations Health that will set the stage and process for negotiations to transform how BC First Nations health is managed in British Columbia.

A changing epidemic: Canada`s AIDS rate on the rise

Thu, 5 Aug 2010 14:25:57 +0545

The number of annual cases of HIV-AIDS in Canada has risen back to 1982 levels, which is when the epidemic began ravaging the gay community.

FASD remains a heavy price of boozing

Thu, 5 Aug 2010 14:24:25 +0545

When it comes to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, there`s one thing everyone can agree on - an expectant mother who drinks while pregnant can irrevocably damage her unborn child.

Aboriginals face most problems when treated for kidney disease

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:36:00 +0545

A new study reveals that aboriginals in Canada have a higher infection and death rate when being treated for kidney disease and renal failure than the rest of the population, but scientists can`t confirm why.

Decades of water safety training culturally "irrelevant" to First Nation people

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:35:07 +0545

Canada`s aboriginal people and others at high risk of drowning are among those least served by conventional water safety training, say injury prevention experts.

Southern Interior to get Helicopter Ambulance Pilot

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:33:24 +0545

Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon today launched an eight-week pilot project for a dedicated helicopter air ambulance that will transport critically ill or injured patients in the southern Interior.

Queen`s participates in international collaboration to improve Indigenous health

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:32:06 +0545

Queen`s is taking part in a new major international initiative aimed at improving chronic disease care for Indigenous patients. Michael Green of the Department of Family Medicine is one of the researchers who will investigate similarities among the health issues of Indigenous peoples in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Diabetes and its prevalence in Indigenous communities is one disease that will be studied to help improve health in aboriginal populations.

National chiefs say no to B.C. mine

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:31:25 +0545

A remote lake in the B.C. ranch country has become the focus of a national dispute over government authority to regulate industry on Crown land.

Province to discuss health with First Nations in north

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:05:40 +0545

THE province will hold talks this fall with First Nations to improve health services in the populous Island Lake region. Premier Greg Selinger said Tuesday the consultations will help determine whether to build a hospital in the region or adopt a decentralized model that would see different communities specialize in specific areas of health care.

Keep First Nation pandemic plans current: feds

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:04:57 +0545

First Nations leaders are welcoming the federal government`s move to ensure pandemic flu plans are up to date, but they also want Ottawa to broaden its interest in health-care planning.

It`s time to focus on Aboriginal healing

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:04:20 +0545

When will we stop focusing on past horrors and instead help our aboriginal residential school victims to put their energy into healing and joyful living?

Health : Province to Make Historic Investment in First Nations Health Care: Selinger

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:02:31 +0545

Manitoba will begin community consultations with residents of Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Red Sucker Lake and Wasagamack First Nations this fall on plans to improve health services in the Island Lake region, Premier Greg Selinger announced today at the Assembly of First Nations annual general meeting in Winnipeg.

Rural MDs more likely to take new patients, report suggests

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:01:48 +0545

Family physicians who live in rural areas or small towns are more likely to be accepting new patients than their counterparts in urban areas, according to a new report.

Research project aims to improve aboriginal health care

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:50:51 +0545

UBC researchers have partnered with members of local health care organizations on a research initiative that aims to strengthen cultural safety and change aboriginal health care in the Okanagan Valley.

10 million HIV-AIDS deaths preventable by 2025, UN says

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:49:36 +0545

At least 10 million HIV-AIDS deaths could be averted by 2025, but doing so requires a dramatic expansion and simplification of treatment, the man leading the international fight against the epidemic says.

Yukon opens traditional healing camp

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:47:44 +0545

A new addictions treatment facility near Whitehorse is combining traditional aboriginal teachings with modern methods.

July 2010 Research Profiles - Being alive well

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:44:22 +0545

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) produces monthly "Research Profiles" to highlight research and researchers funded by CIHR. In this month's Research Profiles we look at the work of researchers who are helping urban Aboriginal peoples regain that sense of balance and live healthier lives. Drs. Janet Smylie, Peter Menzies, Neil Andersson, Patricia Spittal and Chief Wayne Christian are committed to research that involves academics, social scientists and clinicians working in equal partnership with First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples to identify the most pressing needs and most appropriate and workable solutions.

Health Canada says benefits of controversial diabetes drug still outweigh risks

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 14:16:45 +0545

Health Canada has waded into the controversy over the diabetes medication rosiglitazone, which is sold under the brand name Avandia.

ICC develops circumpolar Inuit health plan

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 14:10:25 +0545

Drugs and alcohol and the social damage caused by their abuse affects "all of us," Edward Itta, mayor of Alaska`s North Slope Borough, told Inuit delegates during a June 30 discussion of health and well-being at the Inuit Circumpolar Council general assembly in Nuuk.

Study says increasing HIV drug treatment will save millions through prevention

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 14:07:07 +0545

Treating more HIV patients will prevent the spread of the virus and save almost $1 billion in health-care costs in British Columbia over 30 years, a new study suggests.

To control diabetes, some patients turn to obesity surgery - even if they`re not fat enough

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 14:05:55 +0545

For nearly a decade, Cristina Iaboni tried to tame her diabetes the usual way, through daily shots of insulin and other medicine.

Quebec gives Nunavik $300 million for health over seven years

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:49:25 +0545

Nunavik will get more than $300 million over the next seven years to pay for upgrades to health care facilities, as part of the Quebec government’s efforts to fight social problems and improve health care in Nunavik, Premier Jean Charest said in Kuujjuaq July 5.

Inuit health a challenge worldwide: summit

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:48:27 +0545

Improving the health and well-being of Inuit in Canada and other Arctic nations is a major challenge, according to a circumpolar Inuit health committee.

Aboriginal Students Gain More Health Education Access

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:46:35 +0545

The Province is investing $322,400 at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) and Vancouver Community College (VCC) to train 38 Aboriginal health care and medical office assistants, announced George Abbott, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

Projects aim to improve quality of life in aboriginal communities

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:45:33 +0545

In an effort to improve community wellness and personal empowerment, the Newfoundland Aboriginal Women`s Network is embarking on a pair of two-year culturally based projects.

Metis health study results troubling

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:44:29 +0545

Manitoba Metis residents are 21% more likely than others in the province to die before the age of 75.

Aboriginal children in Canada at serious risk, child advocates say

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:42:50 +0545

Aboriginal children in Canada are disproportionately represented in the youth justice and child welfare systems, suffer from poorer health, they lag significantly behind in educational outcomes, and are too often the victims of sexual exploitation and violence.

Toxic metals in whales threat to humans: study

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:40:59 +0545

Sperm whales feeding even in the most remote reaches of Earth`s oceans have built up high levels of heavy metals, according to U.S. scientists who warn the findings threaten human seafood.

Unique Approach to Aboriginal Healing Awarded Women of Distinction

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 14:40:01 +0545

With support from the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) and the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation (NNAPF), YWCA Saskatoon Women of Distinction Awards were presented to Colleen Dell, Research Chair in Substance Abuse & Associate Professor at the U of S Department of Sociology & School of Public Health, and Sharon Acoose, Assistant Professor at the First Nations University of Canada School of Indian Social Work, for their unique approach to translating the findings of a study that examined the healing journeys of Aboriginal women from drug abuse.

Haida man set to start cross B.C. tour

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:20:16 +0545

Starting July 11 Gerald Kiesman will start his long walk and biking tour all over British Columbia to raise awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the rights of Indigenous people.

Inuit TB strategy needed: report

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:19:34 +0545

A House of Commons committee report calls for an Inuit-specific tuberculosis strategy in Canada's North, where the infection rate is high among Inuit.

At-risk youth get an Arctic health cruise

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:18:02 +0545

A group of Nunavik youth will get to cruise the Arctic this summer as part of the first wellness retreat of its kind.

Wabano Centre will be worth the cost: director

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:15:48 +0545

The $14-million pricetag for a new building for the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health in Vanier reflects the cost of creating an ambitious "centre of excellence," says its executive director, Allison Fisher.

Fighting for Reproductive Justice at Home and Abroad

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:14:37 +0545

On Monday June 21st the Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics (OCAC) held a panel discussion to discuss ways of organizing to defend abortion rights, both at home and abroad. Women from a diversity of backgrounds and origins came together to speak from their experiences and to denounce Prime Minister Steven Harper`s proposed G20 Maternal and Child Health Policy, in which the government has consciously excluded the provision of abortion.

Aboriginal Healing Foundation report gets mixed reaction

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:13:41 +0545

A House of Commons report that calls on the federal government to continue funding the Aboriginal Healing Foundation has been met with some hope but also skepticism from political leaders and aboriginal groups working with residential school survivors.

Aboriginal infant deaths high in both urban, rural Manitoba: study

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:12:43 +0545

An extensive study of infant mortality in Manitoba has shown that the death rate for aboriginal babies is more than twice the Canadian average and doesn`t improve no matter how close their mothers live to sophisticated health-care facilities.

Native healing hearings open in Winnipeg

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:57:15 +0545

Emotions are expected to be running high Wednesday as thousands of aboriginal residential school survivors meet in Winnipeg for the first national event of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Better sexual health

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:56:13 +0545

The Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery, Warren Snowdon, has launched the third National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy.

First Nations Demand Mining Reform in Wake of Harvard Law Report

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:54:38 +0545

The BC and federal governments must heed the recommendations contained in a just-released Harvard Law School report on the impacts of an "unjust" government mining regime on Takla Lake and First Nations across BC, Chief Dolly Abraham of the Takla Lake First Nation said today.

B.C. mines minister calls Harvard report on First Nations rights `hogwash`

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:53:25 +0545

B.C.`s mining minister, Randy Hawes, is dismissing a report from an International Human Rights Clinic of the Harvard Law School, as the province`s three major political First Nations groups call on the Liberal government to heed the findings.

Tsilhqot'in Agreement Basis for Long-Term Co-operation

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:51:13 +0545

The Province and Tsilhqot`in National Government have reached a $1.26 million strategic agreement that will streamline consultation on natural resource decisions, provide increased certainty for investors and build on government’s New Relationship with B.C. Aboriginal communities, Minister Responsible for the Integrated Land Management Bureau Pat Bell announced today.

Native Women`s Association of Canada : NWAC Champions the Safety and Wellbeing of Elders, Grandmothers, and Grandfathers on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) June 15, 2010

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:49:15 +0545

On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), the Native Women`s Association of Canada (NWAC) wishes to acknowledge the gift of our Elders, grandmothers and grandfathers, and encourages all Aboriginal communities to raise awareness and commit to action to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of our grandmothers and grandfathers.

Injuries more frequent in poor areas: report

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:48:25 +0545

Canadians living in the poorest neighbourhoods are 30 per cent more likely to have an injury needing hospitalization than those living in the wealthiest areas, a new report suggests.

Doctor fights to protect hard-won reputation

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:45:09 +0545

Over the course of his 40-year career, Dr. Melvyn Lavallee has been far too busy tending to his patients to spend any time up on a soapbox.

Health : Food Gardens Sprouting In First Nations Communities

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:43:17 +0545

B.C. is helping to provide First Nations communities with better access to fresh vegetables by funding 17 food gardens in the most remote communities, said Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport.

Eastern Arctic to mark global campaign on elder abuse

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:42:25 +0545

Nunavut, like Nunavik, plans to observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, said Louis Tapardjuk, the Nunavut minister responsible for culture, language, elders and youth.

Native residential school forgiveness granted

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:40:53 +0545

Federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl has accepted a "charter of forgiveness" from members of the aboriginal community as part of the healing process for survivors of Canada`s residential schools.

New strategy aims to improve Aboriginal health

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:53:22 +0545

Hundreds gathered today as a new Aboriginal Health Strategy was presented to the Saskatoon Regional Health Authority by Strengthening the Circle - a partnership between Kinistin Saulteaux Nation, the Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI) and the Saskatoon Health Region.

B.C. mining laws unfair to native people, says Harvard Law School study

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:52:29 +0545

A team from Harvard Law School has concluded that British Columbia`s mining regulations are unfair to aboriginal people, who are being denied rights of self determination they should enjoy under international treaties.

Better your plan to fight TB on reserves, Health Canada urged

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:50:29 +0545

Health Canada must improve its plan to fight tuberculosis and set clear targets to reduce the disproportionately high rates of the disease in First Nations and Inuit communities, according to a report released Tuesday.

Nunavut defends its efforts to recruit Inuit nurses

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:49:33 +0545

The Government of Nunavut has responded to criticism about hiring and retention practices for Inuit nurses, saying it’s doing its best to is doing its best to attract, develop and hire Inuit for nursing careers.

The celiac`s challenge: What to feed the family?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:48:00 +0545

Kim Spezowka thought she ranked pretty high on the good mom scale: She baked a loaf of whole-wheat bread almost every day.

Aboriginal woman defies odds in science: Alberta program draws students to the field

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:42:17 +0545

Growing up in the small town of Grand Rapids, Man., Becky Cook believed she would go on to university. It was the support network around her that made that dream possible years later when she enrolled at the University of Manitoba.

Dangerous MRSA "superbug" creeps into Nunavut

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:39:16 +0545

At first, Lucien Kabvitok thought his son`s leg might be broken. "He was complaining and crying. He couldn`t stretch out his left leg."

Nunavut plans info campaign to ease health benefits confusion

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:23:50 +0545

To help Nunavummiut better understand what health care benefits the Government of Nunavut does and does not offer, Nunavut`s health department plans to launch a public information campaign.

Inuit anti-smoking programs funded by Ottawa

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:22:59 +0545

Expectant women and new mothers in Canada`s North who are trying to quit smoking could get help from their elders and community health workers under a $350,000 federal project.

New health strategy in Saskatoon includes hiring more aboriginals

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:22:17 +0545

A new aboriginal health strategy has been announced in Saskatoon that could include recruiting more aboriginal employees and developing an anti-racism strategy.

Sewage, jet fuel among millions of litres spilled in Arctic: CP analysis

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:21:12 +0545

Millions of litres of harmful contaminants - including sewage and jet fuel - have been spilled across great swaths of Canada`s pristine Arctic in recent years, an analysis by The Canadian Press has found.

First Nations women on 300-mile march against Indian Act

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:20:04 +0545

Canada`s Indian Act has had more than 20 major changes, but First Nations leaders say it`s still an instrument of gender discrimination and, ultimately, bureaucratic genocide.

Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre at U of S Launches Pilot Project

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:18:15 +0545

The Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre (IPHRC) at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) is pleased to announce the beginning of a new project called the Tawow Women`s Welcoming Circle that aims to improve the lives of aboriginal women. The Tawow Women`s Welcoming Circle will bring together First Nations and Métis women who currently reside in Saskatoon to assist in providing information on accessing housing, employment, health care services and daycare services, as well as information on local events. With this community based research approach, women who participate are also encouraged, but not obliged to provide feedback as to how to improve the service based on their own personal experiences.

First Nations child welfare reforms promised

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:17:12 +0545

New Brunswick`s child and youth advocate is offering tacit approval for a pilot project that is meant to improve child welfare services on First Nations communities.

Ottawa to create new Arctic food subsidy plan

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:30:50 +0545

Consumers in Nunavut and Nunavik can now get ready to say goodbye to the federal government`s 40-year-old food mail program and prepare to welcome a new food subsidy scheme called Nutrition North Canada.

Aboriginal women share history of Mt Annan Botanic Garden

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:29:10 +0545

FOR thousands of years Mt Annan was an ancient meeting place for indigenous elders who would would decide on the laws of land.

Clock is ticking in war on TB

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:26:12 +0545

In the medicinal arms war against tuberculosis, two New Brunswick researchers are developing new ammunition using traditional First Nations treatments and common plants.

Uninsured Iqaluit family struggles with boy`s health care

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:24:45 +0545

Some Iqaluit residents are rallying behind a gravely-ill Iqaluit boy whose family isn`t covered by any form of supplementary health insurance and face staggering costs related to his care.

Prospect of new housing brings hope

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:21:50 +0545

There`s an unusual atmosphere of hope in the isolated community of Ahousaht, where the first steps toward a 60-lot subdivision are underway, a decade after a new village site was identified.

Government of Canada Introduces Legislation to Improve Drinking Water Quality in First Nation Communities

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:20:45 +0545

The Government of Canada is taking action to help ensure First Nations have safe, clean drinking water. Today, Bill S-11, the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act was introduced in Parliament. At the same time, the Government of Canada announced the two year extension of the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan.

MP lowers diabetes risk, out to inspire aboriginals

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:18:35 +0545

Manitoba MP Rod Bruinooge was having a love affair with cake. "Cheesecake, chocolate cake, pies, there`s no dessert I don`t like," said Bruinooge Tuesday. "I mean I even eat Christmas cake. It`s crazy."

Scientist: Oil spill in Arctic could have "catastrophic" impact

Thu, 27 May 2010 14:17:34 +0545

A major oil spill in the Beaufort Sea could have a "catastrophic" impact on Canada’s Arctic ecosystem and worsen the effects of climate change, a former senior government scientist has warned.

Social stigma major challenge with AIDS, says researcher who isolated virus

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:55:20 +0545

When Nobel laureate Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and her colleagues set out in the early 1980s to isolate the virus that causes AIDS, the odds were against them.

Some of us still without safe water, report says

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:53:43 +0545

Ten years after the Walkerton, Ont., drinking-water tragedy, this country is still without national standards to ensure safe drinking water for all Canadians, says a new report to be released today.

Suicide crisis: First Nations: State of emergency declared

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:50:39 +0545

A rash of suicides among First Nation youth has caused the Mushkegowuk Council to declare a state of emergency.

Diabetes tests raise alarm bells

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:49:28 +0545

Diabetes testing for people who are marginalized or living in the street in Kamloops has revealed a risk factor so high that it surprised even the street nurses.

Nunavik sees new role for ex-hospital: Villeray mayor cool to patient residence plan

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:47:08 +0545

The Nunavik health board would like patients and escorts from Nunavik to be housed in the former Chinese Hospital on St. Denis St.

Program treats dementia among First Nations people

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:45:44 +0545

When Chief Joel Abram learned of a proposed program to help First Nations people and families living with dementia, he saw the initiative as a way to fill a gap in sorely-needed support in his community.

Nunavut wants a doctor for each community

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:44:43 +0545

The federal and territorial governments are seeking ways to get more doctors to work in Nunavut. The effort seeks to curb the shortage in communities like Pond Inlet, which has not had a full-time doctor for the last two years.

Air Quality Monitoring Unit Arrives in Northeast B.C.

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:42:16 +0545

An innovative, fully equipped mobile air monitoring laboratory (MAML) arrives in Tomslake this week, showcasing B.C.`s environmental leadership and support for responsible natural resource management in the Peace Region, said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

VIU profs look at creating new centre

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:41:39 +0545

A team of professors at Vancouver Island University hopes to raise consciousness in education and create healthy classrooms.

N.W.T. health plan raises human rights question

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:52:27 +0545

The Northwest Territories government`s proposed changes to its supplemental health benefits policy could result in human-rights complaints from non-aboriginal residents who might not be covered, according to groups that oppose the changes.

Saskatchewan First Nations HIV rate double the national average

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:51:24 +0545

The head of the Saskatoon Tribal Council calls the rising rates of HIV in the province a "crisis" facing First Nations and Metis people.

Asthma rates in Inuit below national average

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:49:36 +0545

New research shows Inuit populations in the Canadian Arctic have asthma rates far below Aboriginal people in other parts of Canada, especially those in urban centres.

First Nation looking at starting methadone program

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:48:19 +0545

A group of physicians and addictions workers are working to get a methadone program on Ahtahkakoop First Nation, northwest of Prince Albert.

Nunavut kids gobble too much pop, junk food

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:46:47 +0545

Nunavut preschoolers should eat less junk food and more healthy country or store-bought foods, concludes a new study published in the May 5 edition of the Journal of Nutrition.

Ottawa to spend $7-million to add more doctors in under-serviced areas

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:45:41 +0545

Health Canada will boost the ranks of northern doctors by 15, a significant increase in a vast region that averages just one physician for every chunk of land the size of Nova Scotia and where nurses are in desperately short supply.

Health Canada targets aboriginal health

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:44:56 +0545

Health Canada is targeting the well being of First Nation families through a reference guide -- with "handy home checklist, resource information and useful tips" --aimed at improving the environmental health of homes on and off reserve.

Indian Tribe Wins Fight to Limit Research of Its DNA

Thu, 6 May 2010 14:20:06 +0545

Seven years ago, the Havasupai Indians, who live amid the turquoise waterfalls and red cliffs miles deep in the Grand Canyon, issued a "banishment order" to keep Arizona State University employees from setting foot on their reservation - an ancient punishment for what they regarded as a genetic-era betrayal.

DNA Returned to Tribe, Raising Questions About Consent

B.C.`s native languages at risk of extinction

Thu, 6 May 2010 14:18:27 +0545

Indigenous languages in British Columbia are at risk of disappearing as the number of fluent speakers dwindles and school and community language programs struggle to keep them alive, says a new report.

UBCIC Submission to BC Water Act Modernization Initiative

Thu, 6 May 2010 14:15:20 +0545

Common to all traditions of Indigenous Peoples is that water is celebrated as Sacred, and that the deep connections between all things living here, and in the spirit world, are reconfirmed. Water is the lifeblood of the land and the Indigenous Peoples whose cultures flow from the land. Indigenous Peoples recognize that to dam the waters is to dam the connection to our future generations. To fail to protect our lands and waters is a contravention of our traditional laws, and our Aboriginal Title and Rights.

Totem pole raised at former site of notorious Port Alberni residential school.

Thu, 6 May 2010 14:12:55 +0545

A brand new totem pole now stands where a shadow was once cast by Port Alberni`s notorious residential school.

Improve aboriginal health through oral history

Thu, 6 May 2010 14:10:23 +0545

In 1965, a teenaged Rene Meshake was plucked away from his Aroland reserve in Northern Ontario and placed in a residential school.

Native bands lose appeal on water rights

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:15:18 +0545

A lberta`s highest court has dismissed an appeal filed by the Tsuu T`ina Nation and Samson Cree Nation in their case against the province.

Mobile TeleOphthalmology Project Brings Cutting Edge Retinal Screening Technology to Rural and Remote First Nations Communities on Vancouver Island

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:35:10 +0545

Vancouver Island residents living in 51 rural and remote First Nations communities who are at high risk of developing diseases of the retina related to diabetes are benefitting from a new mobile retinal screening service being delivered in their communities. These Mobile TeleOphthalmology units are operated by specially trained nurses and technicians who take retinal scans of patients and send the images via a secure link to retinal specialists in Victoria for assessment.

Nunavut to launch anti-suicide campaign

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:33:29 +0545

Plagued with a suicide epidemic, Nunavut is embarking on an "ambitious" plan to bring its suicide rate in line with - or lower than - the national average through a prevention strategy that is expected to be rolled out in June.

Vitamin B therapy might make diabetic kidney damage even worse: Study

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:32:29 +0545

Dr. David Spence had every reason to believe that vitamin B therapy would slow kidney damage in people with diabetes and reduce their risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Overcrowded Nunavut houses bad for kids` teeth

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:34:57 +0545

Overcrowding in Nunavut homes is a major contributor to poor dental care, says dentist Malcolm Crozier, who spends 12 days a month in Cambridge Bay.

Inuit preschoolers gaining size: study

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:33:48 +0545

Inuit preschoolers in Nunavut are as tall as their counterparts in the general U.S. population but they are also heavier, a new study finds.

First Nations benefit from remote eye screening

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:29:31 +0545

New retinal scanners will mean faster diagnosis and treatment to prevent vision problems, including blindness, for First Nations people in outlying areas.

First Nations seeks class-action suit against B.C. fish farms

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:58:07 +0545

Aboriginal leaders asked the B.C. Supreme Court Tuesday to certify a class-action lawsuit to stop the "devastation" of wild salmon stocks by fish farming.

Northern universities focus on attracting First Nations

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:56:28 +0545

With First Nations representing an ever-increasing portion of the Canadian population, Northern Ontario universities are using a number of ways to engage and accommodate them.

Fontaine to get honorary degree

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:55:28 +0545

Phil Fontaine is getting an honourary doctorate from Brandon University. The 65-year-old former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations will receive a Doctor of Laws degree at the spring convocation in May, said university president Deborah Poff.

Faculty plan teach-in at First Nations University

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:54:20 +0545

Facing the spectre of imminent job loss, faculty at Canada`s only aboriginal-run university hope to stir national passions in their favour by doing what they do best.

A Qualitative Study of The Role Of Sexual Violence In The Lives Of Aboriginal Women Living With Hiv/Aids

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:52:43 +0545

Aboriginal women are continuing to be over-represented among new HIV cases in Canada. Although Aboriginal people represent just 3.8% of the Canadian population, in 2005, estimates indicated Aboriginal people were about 7.5% of all prevalent HIV infections. Since 2004, at least 50% of newly reported HIV infections identified as Aboriginal are women and girls (PHAC 2007; Mehrabadi et al. 2008).

Poverty Can Slow Kids` Normal Development

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:51:34 +0545

The effects of poverty - from crowded housing to insufficient heat and an uncertain diet - combine to lower the chances that infants and toddlers will be healthy and grow normally, new research suggests.

Urban aboriginals strive to make significant difference in their communities, report says

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 14:36:03 +0545

Dr. Evan Adams, businessman Ian Campbell and lawyer and registered forester Angeline Nyce are helping to break the stereotype of urban aboriginals.

Anti-suicide program to target northern Sask. youth

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 14:34:40 +0545

A suicide-prevention program is being developed to try to reduce the number of young native people who are killing themselves in northern Saskatchewan.

FNUC lays off workers

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 14:33:45 +0545

Layoffs have begun at the financially troubled First Nations University of Canada. University officials have not confirmed the number, but one person who was laid off and who did not want to be identified told CBC News a total of 25 casual and temporary workers were given pink slips.

UNBC prof named academic of the year

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 14:25:17 +0545

A University of Northern British Columbia professor has been named the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of B.C.`s academic of the year.

Mercury still plagues Ont. First Nation: report

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 14:22:17 +0545

The health impacts of mercury poisoning in a northern Ontario First Nations community are worse now than when fishing in waters contaminated by the substance was first banned there 40 years ago, according to a report released in Toronto Tuesday.

McGuinty to review mercury report before acting

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 14:21:14 +0545

A study released Tuesday suggests the health effects of mercury poisoning at a First Nations reserve in northwestern Ontario are worse now than in the 1970s.

Ottawa cuts funding to residential schools lobby group

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 14:19:39 +0545

The Department of Indian Affairs has cut funding to a national organization that speaks on behalf of former residential school students, and the group`s leader is calling the move retribution for his harsh criticism of how the government and churches are handling a landmark 2007 settlement.

Aboriginal poverty `a black mark`: [Phil] Fontaine lauded; Wins rights award, decries plight of aboriginals

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:52:27 +0545

Rampant aboriginal poverty will be the country`s shame in the eyes of the world until it is resolved, says Phil Fontaine, Canada`s foremost aboriginal leader of his generation.

Elders` wisdom touted in debate over water use

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:51:12 +0545

As the world struggles with increasing water problems, governments need to listen to the traditional wisdom of aboriginal people, Grand Chief Ed John, of the First Nations Summit, told an international conference at the University of Victoria yesterday.

Changing minds, opening minds: Anti-stigma campaigns aren`t just for the public

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:49:44 +0545

"You are not making any sense. Go home and come back when you are able to make sense."

Canada`s forgotten disease

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:48:36 +0545

To most Canadians, tuberculosis (TB) sounds like a foreign disease, a disease of the past like polio or cholera. But to certain minority populations in Canada, tuberculosis is as prevalent as the common cold.

Agreement with Cree communities could set precedent for research

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:53:19 +0545

Stanley George, newly elected Chief of Whapmagoostui, a small Cree community of 850 souls in northern Quebec, did not hesitate when he put his signature at the bottom of a 40-page research agreement last September. "I remembered a phone call our community received a few years ago from a guy who said he worked with a pharmaceutical company. He was trying to get the names of the plants our healers use to treat diabetes and other ailments," he recalls, his tone tinged with anger. "Now, with this agreement, our knowledge stands a better chance of being respected."

TB rate more than 30 times higher for aboriginal Canadians: Report

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:36:55 +0545

The rate of tuberculosis among aboriginals in Canada is more than 30 times that of the non-aboriginal population, according to a striking new Health Canada report.

A community on drugs: life after the crisis

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:35:18 +0545

Cindy Sacobie has lost a lot of what has meant the most to her in life. She watched her husband, Brian, die of alcoholism last year when he was 44, leaving her to raise their three sons alone. She has struggled with her own addiction to the painkiller Dilaudid and once lost her job for a year because of it.

Mental Health Report Focuses on Multicultural Groups

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:33:50 +0545

Statistics Canada is predicting that 1 in 3 Canadians will belong to a visible minority by 2031. The Mental Health Commission of Canada has released a report addressing the needs of multicultural, immigrant and refugee groups. The study is part of its mandate to improve mental healthcare across all areas of Canadian society.

Unique study asks those with mental illness about experiences with police

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:32:07 +0545

One of the most challenging issues facing law enforcement today is handling encounters involving people with mental illness. Although the majority of people with mental illness do not commit criminal acts, around 1 in 5 will come into contact with the law as police officers are often the first to respond to incidents.

3rd Annual Conference Traditional Foods of Vancouver Island First Nations: Celebrating Indigenous Foods in a Changing World

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:28:41 +0545

On behalf of the conference organizing committee, I wish to formally invite members from your community to the upcoming 3rd Annual Conference on the Traditional Foods of Vancouver Island First Nations. This year`s conference follows two very successful conferences held in Nanaimo. The theme this year is "Celebrating Indigenous Foods in a Changing World: Coastal Conversations among Youth, Elders and Community Members." Dr. Nancy Turner will be the Keynote Speaker.

Medical journal reports on potential research strategies to fight high rates of Arctic suicide, depression and alcoholism

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:27:00 +0545

A medical journal focusing on health issues in the Arctic has published the proceedings of a groundbreaking meeting that centered on research addressing the disproportionately high rates of suicide, depression and alcoholism among Arctic residents, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) announced today. The meeting was co-sponsored by the USARC and the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

TB rate 185 times higher for Inuit than others

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:12:08 +0545

Tuberculosis remains a serious health problem in Canada`s North, with the infection rate among Inuit 185 times greater than for others born in the country, a national analysis shows.

TB cases on rise in Manitoba: Province leads country in infection rates

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:18:09 +0545

The number of Manitobans infected with tuberculosis hit a 30-year high last year, raising alarm among First Nation leaders and medical experts that nothing is being done to address the root cause of the disease.

Budget short on education funds: First Nations

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:16:24 +0545

First Nations groups welcomed the federal government`s plan to spend $30 million on aboriginal education in the federal budget, but had hoped it would be more. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty pledged to support aboriginal students as part of Thursday`s 2010 budget.

The budget`s fine print matters to health

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:14:14 +0545

There will be much said and written about Thursday`s federal budget: If words were dollars, there would be no deficit (or debt). Pundits will pontificate on how Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has balanced stimulus initiatives and restraint measures, declare winners and losers in the doling-out-dollars sweepstakes and howl about taxes imposed and opportunities missed. The Opposition will get in its digs. In short, the air will be ripe with second guessing and election speculation.

Celebration of First Nations Culture

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:52:53 +0545

Algoma University and the Shingwauk Anishinaabe Students Association will co-host an upcoming three-day celebration of First Nations` culture at the George Leach Centre.

Child Welfare Report Out Today

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:51:24 +0545

A report on the state of child welfare on New Brunswick`s First Nation reserves, to be released today, will call for widespread change in how federal and provincial governments, as well as local band councils provide services.

First Nations youth report coming today

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:50:00 +0545

The results of a much anticipated report investigating the province`s entire First Nations child welfare system will be released later today.

Ancient ceremony comes alive: Grandeur of the potlatch and other rituals remembered at the Pan Pacific

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:44:45 +0545

Paula Cranmer-Underhill sits quietly weaving cedar bark in the lobby of the Pan Pacific Hotel amid a whirl of comings and goings, more than ever now that the 2010 Winter Olympics are in full swing.

Social worker focuses on life

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:43:03 +0545

Brooke Pratt first considered suicide when she was 12 years old. At five, she moved from her mother`s home and went to live with her father. The situation was better, though she was beaten and isolated for years.

New National Coordinator to Tackle Indigenous Smoking

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:42:06 +0545

Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon today announced high profile leader Mr Tom Calma has been engaged as the inaugural National Coordinator for Tackling Indigenous Smoking.

Native university pulled back from brink

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:51:42 +0545

Aboriginal and government leaders are pulling Saskatchewan`s one-of-a-kind aboriginal university back from the brink one week after its closing appeared imminent.

Too much junk food in Inuit diet

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:50:03 +0545

Eating less polar bear and drinking more soda pop has sickened many aboriginal people living near the North Pole. The Inuit diet, once based on traditional foods like polar bear and seal, now consists of nearly 50 percent junk food, said Dr. Sangita Sharma, a nutritional epidemiologist at the N.C. Research Campus.

Group has 2 weeks to fix First Nations University

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:48:50 +0545

A working group has two weeks to formulate plans for what officials are saying would be a new "more robust" relationship between the University of Regina and the troubled First Nations University of Canada.

Professor assigned COO at First Nations University

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:47:45 +0545

Del Anaquod, a professor at First Nations University of Canada, has been assigned as chief operating officer to oversee day-to-day operations at the troubled institution.

B.C. will take AIDS treatment to sex workers, drug users

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:44:31 +0545

The B.C. government announced Thursday a $48 million pilot project to find and treat sex trade workers and injection drug users who are undiagnosed or untreated for HIV in Vancouver`s Downtown Eastside and Prince George, B.C.

Nunavut government finds new way to guard infant health

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:43:29 +0545

Nunavut health providers will soon collect information from thousands of Nunavummiut on prenatal and early childhood health as they visit their nursing stations or hospitals.

Poverty, housing factors in N.W.T. MRSA cases

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:42:46 +0545

Overcrowded housing and poverty in some Northwest Territories communities are contributing to an outbreak in MRSA infections, according to health officials.

Band hopes mentoring will reduce FASD

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:41:45 +0545

An Alberta First Nation band hopes pairing fathers with mentors will help battle the problem of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The program on the Tsuu T`ina First Nation, called Gathering Together, has men from the community mentoring fathers. Some of those dads have addictions. Others have a child with FASD, which is caused by women drinking while pregnant.

First Nations University likely to close next month

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:57:06 +0545

Canada`s only aboriginal-run university has been run into the ground. Once considered "a beacon" for aboriginal education worldwide, the Regina-based First Nations University of Canada likely will close next month after Ottawa announced it would follow the province's lead and cut funding to the renowned school.

ER victim`s family, aboriginal groups want full inquiry into Man. health care

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:56:25 +0545

Aboriginal groups and the family of a homeless man who died during a long wait in an emergency room want Manitoba to hold a public inquiry into how natives are treated when they need medical care.

Olympic play-by-play to be in many languages

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:54:40 +0545

For Winter Olympics rookie Abel Charles, training for the biggest event in sports has involved sitting at home and yelling at a television as champion skiers perform daring flips in the air. The mock play-by-play has been going on for months as Charles and several dozen newbie broadcasters gear up to debut as Canada`s first official commentators to call an Olympics in a language other than English or French.

More than 30 groups unite in $15.5m effort to prevent chronic disease

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:20:16 +0545

More than 30 organizations from across Canada are forming partnerships in a $15.5-million series of initiatives designed to prevent chronic disease. The seven collaborative coalitions are to address such issues as childhood obesity, screening for chronic disease by family doctors, and the unique needs of First Nations communities.

Educated First Nations benefit economy

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:18:53 +0545

The Canadian economy as a whole would benefit greatly from a well educated First Nations population, says Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo. Educating young aboriginals would "not only lift ourselves out of poverty, but would respond to the human resource needs of the country."

Take positive action with your health!

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:15:22 +0545

Committing to a healthier and fitter you? Take a positive approach by adopting good lifestyle habits... rather than punishing yourself by only cutting out bad ones.

New program helps First Nations fight dementia

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:09:54 +0545

Help is on the way for First Nations people with dementia. The London and Middlesex Alzheimer Society and the Oneida Nation of the Thames are launching a collaborative program called First Link, which will let all First Nations in London and Middlesex County easily access information and support for dementia.

B.C. First Nations communities turned out in droves for H1N1 vaccine: Kendall

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:09:02 +0545

Not everyone in Canada wanted an H1N1 shot, but B.C.`s chief medical officer of health says the vaccine was popular among First Nations people in that province.

New First Nations director pumped

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 14:07:55 +0545

William Lindsay is so pumped about his new job at SFU he`s already planning to build a house on the Burnaby campus. It`s not for him, mind you, but for the university and First Nations communities.

Big Fat Diet a recipe for good health: Doctor

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:32:56 +0545

Greg Wadhams tipped the scales at 291 pounds when he joined a bold dietary experiment in this island village. Today, he`s a poster boy for the Big Fat Diet, one of the most extreme dietary interventions for diabetes ever tried in Canada.

First Peoples House celebrated Cultural centre is officially opened in ceremony at University of Victoria

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:31:08 +0545

As Robina Thomas looks at Coast Salish artwork and carved welcoming figures in the University of Victoria`s First Peoples House, she remembers how alone she felt as a UVic student 18 years ago. But, with the official opening yesterday of the First Peoples House, aboriginal students now have a place to gather in a beautiful cultural home away from home.

Inuit infant mortality three times Canadian average; children go hungry: Study

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:29:59 +0545

Inuit infants die at well over three times the rate of other Canadian babies, according to a massive new study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. And as if to underscore the tough situation facing aboriginal children in Canada`s North, a second study in the same journal found that 70 per cent of Inuit preschoolers live in homes where there isn`t always enough food.

Aboriginal Centre opens at UBC Okanagan

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:27:37 +0545

Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country joined Steve Thomson, Minister of Agriculture and Lands and MLA for Kelowna-Mission, along with representatives of the University of British Columbia Okanagan to celebrate the official opening of the new Aboriginal Student Centre today.

H1N1 Flu Virus (Human Swine flu) Under Surveillance

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:25:24 +0545

British Columbia continues to monitor and respond to the spread of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus. Since Jan. 19, there have been no new severe cases of H1N1 identified in B.C., nor have there been any reported deaths. The majority of lab-confirmed cases in B.C. have been mild or moderate in severity, with the patients either having already recovered or currently recovering.

Putting a new face on native culture

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:24:22 +0545

The images that flood the mass media typically depict Canada`s native population as being the victims of housing or health-care crises and show them struggling with poverty or hidden behind masks in confrontation with authorities.

Aboriginal women suffer surge in diabetes

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:52:07 +0545

The rate of diabetes among aboriginal women is four times that of women in the general Canadian population, a new study reveals. Moreover, members of first nations are developing the debilitating illness by their 40s, while in the rest of society it tends to strike people in their 70s.

ITK launches Arctic research centre: Inuit Qaujisarvingat hopes to help science, Inuit knowledge work together

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:50:06 +0545

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami announced Tuesday the launch of its own Arctic research centre that aims to bridge gaps between science and Inuit traditional knowledge. Inuit Qaujisarvingat: The Inuit Knowledge Centre will help Inuit "access the systems of western science" while helping scientists make use of Inuit knowledge, ITK announced during a news conference in Ottawa.

Canada needs a polar policy

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:48:19 +0545

Canada is the second largest polar nation and among the wealthiest, giving it a responsibility to lead in stewardship of the Arctic. In keeping with its tradition of advancing polar science, Canada invested Can$156 million (US$147 million) during the 2007-09 International Polar Year (IPY), seeding a resurgence of scientific activity and outreach. Sadly, the post-IPY future does not look as bright.

Aboriginal Healing Foundation

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:06:00 +0545

Foundation`s imminent end worries northern groups that help residential school survivors heal.

Residential school healing programs fear funding cut

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 14:40:16 +0545

Organizations that help former residential school students across Canada, including the northern territories, are worried their programs could fold if a major funding source runs out this spring.

Inuit newborns at risk because Nunavut gov`t won`t distribute drug: researcher

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 14:38:50 +0545

A prominent health researcher says Inuit newborns are at risk of serious illness and even death because the Nunavut government won`t distribute a drug to all infants in remote communities. In a recent article for the Canadian Polar Commission, Dr. Anna Banerji says the preventative antibody palivizumab would save dozens of babies from a serious respiratory illness that often forces them to be airlifted from their homes and treated in intensive care.

Glucose testing challenged among diabetics who don`t use insulin

Wed, 6 Jan 2010 14:35:37 +0545

Frequent self-monitoring of blood-glucose levels - which is commonplace among diabetics - actually provides little practical benefit to most patients who do not use insulin, a new study shows.

New-look reconciliation commission settling into Winnipeg

Wed, 6 Jan 2010 14:33:37 +0545

Canada`s residential schools commission is settling in to its new home - and name - in Winnipeg. New chief commissioner Justice Murray Sinclair recently moved the headquarters of the commission from Ottawa to the 15th floor of the Trizec building at Winnipeg`s famed Portage and Main intersection.

Regional Health Survey Data Collection- DEADLINE EXTENDED

Wed, 6 Jan 2010 14:27:12 +0545

RHS data collectors have been in First Nations communities collecting data throughout most of 2009. As of Dec 18th, we have achieved 43% of our targeted data collection. The first wave of surveys will be completed as of December 22nd, 2009. We would like to express our appreciation to the RHS data collectors who have been working hard in their communities.

H1N1 `not done yet`: Canada`s top doctor

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:07:40 +0545

Although about 40 per cent of Canadians have been immunized against the H1N1 virus, people should not be complacent, federal health officials warned Tuesday.

Aboriginal achievement spikes across province

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:06:22 +0545

Course results for aboriginal students were on the rise in many subjects here and across B.C., according to the latest Ministry of Education statistics.

Foot amputations ravage aboriginal diabetics: `90% of amputations are preventable`

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:04:24 +0545

Thousands of aboriginal people with diabetes undergo unnecessary foot amputations because the federal government won`t pay for them to have proper shoes, the head of a Manitoba medical outreach program said Tuesday.

Cost of diabetes `an economic tsunami`: report

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:04:26 +0545

Diabetes is expected to cost Canada about $12.2 billion in 2010, nearly double the level of a decade ago, the Canadian Diabetes Association said Monday. The association based its estimate on Canadian data, unlike previous projections based on U.S. models.

First Nations can`t go back to `business as usual` after flu outbreak: AFN chief

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:03:18 +0545

For a few weeks this spring, the world`s attention was focused on a small cluster of First Nation reserves in northern Manitoba.The isolated communities, home to fewer than 10,000 people, appeared to be at the Canadian epicentre of the H1N1 flu pandemic. Each day, medevac flights would pick up critically ill people and airlift them to hospitals in the south. Many ended up on ventilators, struggling for breath.

Health Directors Form Association

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:00:58 +0545

BC First Nations Health Directors have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the development of a First Nations Health Directors Association. 91 health directors cast their ballots November 5th at the Gathering Wisdom Forum, 79 in favour of the Association and 12 opposed.

New Hopes on Health Care for American Indians

Sat, 5 Dec 2009 09:56:39 +0545

The meeting last month was a watershed: the leaders of 564 American Indian tribes were invited to Washington to talk with cabinet members and President Obama, who called it "the largest and most widely attended gathering of tribal leaders in our history."

Not all Canadians with diabetes are receiving recommended tests: study

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 14:45:15 +0545

A variety of routine clinical tests should be the norm for Canadians who are living with diabetes, but a new study indicates not everyone is getting these tests and checkups by their health-care providers. All four specific recommended clinical tests are being done for fewer than one-third of patients, says the research released Thursday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Bill to help sale of HIV drugs gains support

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 14:17:24 +0545

A federal private member`s bill aims to cut through the red tape hampering generic drug companies from shipping cheap HIV/AIDS drugs to developing countries. On Wednesday, MPs will review New Democrat MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis`s bill, designed to reform Canada`s access to medicines law.

HIV progress seen bypassing Canadian natives

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 14:16:16 +0545

The drop in HIV infections internationally isn`t reflected in Canada`s aboriginal community, says an expert who is worried about the possibility of federal funding cuts. The United Nations program on HIV/AIDS reported last week that new infections dropped 17 per cent globally over a period of eight years. The report was released in advance of World AIDS Day on Tuesday.

82 New Seats Improve Access For Rural Health Students

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 14:14:20 +0545

The Province is investing $614,385 at public post-secondary institutions in six rural communities to train 82 health care assistants across B.C., announced Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development.

2010: Year of the Inuit

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 14:13:43 +0545

2010 Year of the Inuit is an educational campaign spearheaded by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national organization representing Canadian Inuit. Its goal is to increase awareness among the general Canadian population about issues facing the Inuit of Canada and celebrate Inuit accomplishments and achievements.

Aboriginals to swear oath to get preference for PS jobs: Plan meant to stop people falsely stating they are aboriginal

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:34:59 +0545

For the first time, aboriginal Canadians will have to swear a declaration and attest to their ancestry before landing a job in the federal public service. The Public Service Commission, the government`s staffing watchdog, sent a directive to departments this week advising them that all aboriginal jobs must be filled by candidates who sign formal declarations attesting to their backgrounds before they are offered jobs.

A bridge to health care

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:17:28 +0545

Two dozen students from all around the province were the first to gain admission to SFU Surrey`s Aboriginal Pre-Health Program this fall.

Treaties worth more than Games

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:16:30 +0545

British Columbians would be much better off if the provincial and federal governments had brought the same commitment to reaching treaties with B.C. First Nations as they did to getting ready for the 2010 Olympics.

Aboriginal-Rights Champion Cindy Blackstock Awarded Atkinson Fellowship

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:15:18 +0545

Cindy Blackstock has been awarded the Atkinson Foundation`s Economic Justice Fellowship. The three-year Fellowship will provide $100,000 annually for Ms. Blackstock`s advocacy on behalf of First Nations children and communities.

Nisga`a band moves in right direction with property rights

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:13:25 +0545

The Nisga`a First Nation broke new ground in Canada a little over a decade ago with a new form of self-government negotiated as part of its treaty settlement. Now they have turned to what for most Canadians is an old idea to take another step into uncharted territory for their own community, a step that should be watched with interest across the country.

Presidents vow to improve post-secondary access

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:04:43 +0545

The presidents of universities and colleges across Canada vowed yesterday to collaborate on ways to increase student enrolment, particularly among First Nations and lower-income populations.

Inuit Tobacco-free Network Launched

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:03:31 +0545

OTTAWA, ON -- Inuit Tuttarvingat of the National Aboriginal Health Organization has created a resource Web site and listserv for Inuit smoking cessation counsellors, health-care providers and smokers themselves that provides information about the latest research on tobacco, quitting and reducing tobacco use, and health promotion materials that can be used in Inuit communities.

H1N1 `no worse` than regular flu: top MD - Flu hitting the young, healthy, but death rate may actually fall

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:01:46 +0545

OTTAWA -- Despite the recent surge in H1N1 deaths, the nation`s chief public health officer says the pandemic virus appears no deadlier than regular seasonal influenza and that there could actually be substantially fewer flu deaths than normal this season.

Funding will aid aboriginal school

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:25 +0545

A Snuneymuxw First Nation school will be able to pay for more staff members and resources to teach a booming number of students after a change in how the province funds education.

Songhees First Nation sues for swath of land in Cadboro Bay area

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:59:10 +0545

The Songhees First Nation is claiming a large swath of land that takes in part of the Uplands, the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Cadboro Bay village, Gyro Park and a ribbon stretching across to Telegraph Cove.

Ex-PM funds First Nations students

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:57:48 +0545

Former prime minister Paul Martin is betting $70,000 that 22 aboriginal students at Scott Collegiate can beat the odds, graduate from high school and succeed in business.

Last best hope for first nations burial site: Cowichan Tribes to meet with B.C. culture minister for help to save a cultural treasure

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:55:44 +0545

Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Kevin Krueger will meet Thursday with Cowichan first nations in an attempt to resolve a 17-year impasse over the fate of a burial ground and archeological site on land owned by a Duncan real estate developer.

Native tribe will petition Ottawa to remove its Indian status

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:36:43 +0545

Gitxsan people from northwest British Columbia willing to relinquish reserves, tax exemptions, Indian Act housing and financial supports in exchange for a share of resources

Aboriginal Canadians less likely to get organ transplants, says study

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:35:23 +0545

Peter Nakogee knows the chances are not good for aboriginals seeking transplants in Canada, but the gregarious father of four has reason to celebrate.

An Information Bulletin from the Tripartite First Nations H1N1 Working Group

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:33:26 +0545

The distribution of the H1N1 Influenza vaccine is under way in BC. We know a primary concern for First Nations communities is that community members who want the H1N1 vaccine receive it as soon as possible.

Mrs. Pudding`s tales hit home with aboriginals: Nurse says high-risk group heeds story-style warnings of diabetes

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:34:40 +0545

It`s not the usual topic for stand-up comedy, but Mrs. Pudding loves to get some laughs out of diabetes. "I have been a diabetes educator for 20 years and using humour and theatre is the most effective way of educating people," said Mrs. Pudding, a.k.a. Sue Schaefer, aboriginal health diabetes nurse educator with the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

Torch relay is `very spiritual` Journey is inspirational to thousands of people

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:33:07 +0545

From gold medallist to war veteran, First Nations teen to champion rower, the Olympic flame passed through 147 pairs of hands in Greater Victoria yesterday on the first leg of its epic journey across Canada.

B.C. natives claim victory in landmark court ruling on commercial fisheries

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:31:40 +0545

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council claimed a legal victory Tuesday after the B.C. Supreme Court affirmed the right of aboriginals to sell the seafood they harvest.

Loss of global languages threatens culture, history: Language expert

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:30:44 +0545

When the last native speaker of an endangered language dies, does that language die with them? Not necessarily, say academics, although there`s a risk of losing significant ties to cultures, communities and collective histories.

Federal treaty delays cost B.C. billions: chief

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:32:08 +0545

The head of the B.C. Treaty Commission is blaming the federal government for "frittering" away billions in economic opportunity by not giving its treaty negotiators a proper mandate.

H1N1 Communication to First Nations Communities from Northern Health

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:30:12 +0545

Northern Health is now working to distribute our first allotments of the H1N1 vaccine across the North. We are working to balance the priorities for the first doses which include remote communities as well as people under 65 with medical risk factors and pregnant women in the second half of pregnancy. We expect that within a few weeks there will be enough vaccine for everyone who wants it.

Treaty process costly, slow: B.C. First Nation

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:48:35 +0545

A B.C. First Nation is just one chapter away from a treaty agreement, but its main negotiator says federal government foot-dragging has become frustrating and costly. The Tla`amin First Nation announced Sunday that its members have endorsed its constitution, clearing one of the last hurdles for a modern treaty.

B.C. rolls out swine flu vaccine

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:46:11 +0545

The swine flu vaccine is now available in B.C. for those people who are most at risk from the H1N1 virus.But healthy British Columbians are being asked to let those at high-risk be immunized first in order to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.

National Aboriginal Health Organization National Conference: Conference Travel

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:44:30 +0545

Special airfare discounts have been negotiated with Air Canada and Westjet for delegate conference travel between Monday, November 16 and Thursday, December 3.

Native fishing claim case won`t hear from province

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:42:03 +0545

A B.C. Court of Appeal case involving a British Columbia native band`s claim for commercial fishing rights is going ahead without representation from the provincial government.

Work by Cowichan Valley`s Luke Marston enters Government House collection

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:40:59 +0545

Four pieces of original First Nations art commissioned to honour the contribution of aboriginal peoples in British Columbia and enhance the collection at Government House, were first shown at Government House this week.

The power of her art

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:49:42 +0545

Back in the 1940s, Daphne Odjig tried to "pass" as "white" to improve her job prospects. She adopted the surname Fisher, told people she was of Spanish origin and even flirted with the idea of becoming a flamenco dancer.

B.C. Treaty negotiations `incredibly fragile,` native leaders say

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:07:37 +0545

The treaty negotiations process in B.C. is teetering on the brink of failure, say First Nations leaders. Last week, the B.C. Treaty Commission, which oversees treaty negotiations between the federal and provincial governments and First Nations, rebuked Ottawa for dragging its feet and not giving its negotiators the needed mandate.

Campus carver among 6 honoured

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:04:29 +0545

Calvin Hunt is a busy man.The north Island First Nations artist just carved a gigantic whale tail, which will soon be cast in bronze and installed at the University of Victoria.

First Nations program needed

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:01:26 +0545

Canada urgently needs a multi-million-dollar national program to improve diabetes care and treatment for First Nations people, says the lead author of new report detailing the disease`s grim toll.

First Nation signs road deal

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:43:10 +0545

A provincial agency managing the construction of an all-season road along the east side of Lake Winnipeg has signed an agreement promising jobs, training and economic development for a Manitoba First Nations community.

MD: Bands must find ways to curb alcohol use

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:01:43 +0545

Alcohol-related deaths among First Nations in B.C. are a staggering five times higher than for other British Columbians, says a prominent First Nations doctor, who argues aboriginal leaders need to start working on an alcohol strategy to save lives.

First Nations loggers land China deal

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:16 +0545

The largest First Nations-owned logging company in the province has begun shipping logs to China, bringing jobs and revenues into the province`s economically hard-hit northwest.

H1N1 - Who`s at risk?

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:55:24 +0545

A new study examing who is affected by the H1N1 virus reveals women are at high risk

Judith Sayers Joins The University of Victoria

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:54:29 +0545

A former chief of the Port Alberni Hupacasath First Nation is sharing her expertise with the University of Victoria. The new position, effective this month, brings Judith Sayers to UVic as entrepreneur-in-residence with UVic Business and as an adjunct professor at UVic Law.

Ex-Alberni area chief named UVic executive in residence

Fri, 9 Oct 2009 23:27:34 +0545

Aboriginal economic development is taking on a higher profile at the University of Victoria with the appointment of First Nations leader Judith Sayers as executive in residence.

Native communities eagerly awaiting H1N1 summit

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:17:14 +0545

Details for the virtual summit on H1N1 that was promised last month are still being worked on, according to Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo, who said Tuesday he is anxious for the event to take place.

Health officials under fire for timing of flu vaccinations

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:16:30 +0545

The federal health minister fended off a barrage of criticism and accusations Tuesday from the opposition parties over the timing of Canada's H1N1 vaccine and other pandemic planning issues.

Centre will welcome aboriginal students

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:15:48 +0545

A $3.6-million learning centre that will offer aboriginal students a feeling of home away from home is being built at Vancouver Island University.

Vigils remember killed, missing aboriginal women

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:14:21 +0545

Dozens of vigils were held across the country Sunday to remember more than 500 aboriginal women who have vanished in the last three decades and to draw attention to what organizers called a national tragedy.

Assembly of First Nations elects B.C. regional chief

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:13:25 +0545

Jody Wilson Raybould, the newly elected B.C. regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said Friday that this is a time of hope for the province's first nations communities.

Native women's group elects new leader

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:30:31 +0545

The leadership turnover among Canada's national aboriginal organizations continued this weekend, as the Native Women's Association of Canada elected Jeannette Corbiere-Lavell as its new president.

MSFHR receives additional $15 million from BC Government

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:29:21 +0545

The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research has received a letter from the Honourable Kevin Falcon, Minister of Health Services, confirming an additional $15 million funding for the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR).

B.C. to delay seasonal flu shots

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:28:12 +0545

British Columbia will join four other provinces and delay part of its seasonal flu shot program this year until after the swine flu shots have been rolled out.

Head of native aquaculture group barred from federal meeting

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:54:11 +0545

A Vancouver Island First Nations leader, who heads a provincewide aboriginal aquaculture committee, was turned away from a meeting in Vancouver with federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea yesterday.

Health facility, high school under construction on First Nation

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:53:28 +0545

The Opaskwayak Cree Nation near The Pas is bustling with backhoes and bulldozers. Last week, work on a new, multi-million dollar high school on the First Nation began and this week, construction started on a new $4.5-million specialized health facility.

Program Announcements from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:51:05 +0545

The following is an update to the May 2009 MSFHR program announcement and reflects decisions made by the MSFHR Board Executive Committee in early September 2009. The decisions - which were necessary given MSFHR was not in the provincial government's September 1st budget - immediately affect the Institutional awards and Research Units Cohorts 1 and 2.

Feds shortchanging aboriginal child services: AFN

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:49:21 +0545

The federal government is underfunding aboriginal child welfare agencies, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal heard Monday. Welfare agencies serving First Nations communities receive, on average, about 22 per cent less funding than provincial welfare agencies, the Assembly of First Nations said.

Increasingly young and underemployed first nations face challenges for a greater role in B.C. economy

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:48:24 +0545

If first nations are to take their rightful place in British Columbia by becoming a bigger force in the economy and a significant contributor to provincial prosperity, federal and provincial governments need to remove barriers to first nations economic activity, and more needs to be done to ensure aboriginal youth complete skills training, K-12 schooling and post-secondary education.

The Honouring Life Network launches Suicide Prevention Video Contest

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:17:50 +0545

In celebration of World Suicide Prevention Day, the Honouring Life Network (HLN), a project of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), announced an exciting new contest for First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth.

Aboriginal job fair overcomes dissent

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:09:26 +0545

Some spoke of the thrill of having a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase aboriginal culture. Some welcomed the chance to meet people from around the world. Some just wanted a job.

Manitoba launches $47M swine flu plan

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:08:27 +0545

The Manitoba government is spending $47 million on its fall pandemic plan, which includes mass vaccination clinics to tackle swine flu. Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer, said the money will go towards purchasing vaccine, antiviral drugs, masks, gloves and gowns, as well as hiring more staff to care for the sick.

Children, families forgotten in this budget

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:33:24 +0545

Three years ago, then finance minister Carole Taylor said the provincial budget was "for the little ones." The Liberal government's cost-cutting and mismanagement of support for children and families had just been set out in Ted Hughes' report.

Native housing forgotten again

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:32:44 +0545

Last February, Premier Gordon Campbell promised action on the terrible living conditions on First Nations reserves in the province. A Times Colonist series had highlighted overcrowded, unsafe and unhealthy living conditions and reported on possible solutions.

Fire hits Wet'suwet'en First Nation reserve

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:32:02 +0545

A fire has destroyed three buildings on the Wet'suwet'en First Nation reserve, near Smithers in B.C.'s northern Interior, according to a local land-use planner.

Contraband cigarettes popular with teens

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:31:35 +0545

Teenagers are smoking a surprising amount of contraband cigarettes, which is undermining tobacco-prevention strategies, a new study suggests.

Reserves anxious but ready

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 13:06:15 +0545

Ground zero for a resurgence of H1N1 in B.C. is likely to be remote First Nations reserves where mouldy houses, overcrowding, poverty and chronic health problems make fertile breeding grounds for the flu virus.

First Nations Pandemic Preparedness

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 13:04:42 +0545

As Julie Van Dusen reports, native leaders don't share the federal health minister's confidence that Canada's remote communities have what they'll need to fight a new swine flu outbreak.

Feds, First Nations leaders at odds on swine flu preparations

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 15:37:25 +0545

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and a First Nations chief had widely divergent views Friday on the state of flu pandemic preparedness plans for aboriginal communities.

Chiefs kill B.C. aboriginal rights law

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 15:33:38 +0545

The province's aboriginal leaders have killed the government's proposed Recognition and Reconciliation Act, a move that derails Premier Gordon Campbell's “new relationship” with first nations.

Funding for First Nations health-care projects across Canada

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 15:31:39 +0545

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq will announce details today of more than $400 million in funding for First Nations health-care projects, Canwest News Service has learned

Proposed curriculum changes paper over aboriginal wound

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 15:29:55 +0545

More than 50,000 students will head back to Vancouver public schools next week, including roughly 2,000 aboriginal students. The aboriginal problem in Vancouver schools has been well documented.

Phil Fontaine to advise RBC on aboriginal issues

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 15:28:08 +0545

Phil Fontaine is moving from politics to finance. The former three-term grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations has stepped into a new role on Bay Street as special advisor to the Royal Bank of Canada.

BC Hydro delays clean power contracts

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:00:32 +0545

BC Hydro is delaying the awarding of clean power contracts until later this year as it seeks to comply with an appeal-court ruling that calls for additional First Nations consultation.

Native coaches apprenticing at Canada Games

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:59:38 +0545

Twelve aboriginal coaches from across the country are part of a new pilot program at the Canada Games to increase native participation in sport.

First nations aren't big enough for true sovereignty

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:59:00 +0545

Pouce Coupe, B.C., has a population of about 700 people. Estevan, Sask., has a population of about 10,000. Gravenhurst, Ont., boasts about 11,000 people.

HIV could devastate Sask. First Nations: Doctor

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:57:53 +0545

Drawing a startling comparison between Canadian native reserves and areas of sub-Saharan Africa, a Saskatchewan medical health officer is warning that HIV could kill up to 30 per cent of the province's aboriginal population over the next five to 10 years.

Use traditional medicine to fight flu: Manitoba chief

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:57:12 +0545

The head of a Manitoba First Nations organization is calling on his fellow chiefs to look to traditional aboriginal medicine to help fight the next wave of swine flu, also called H1N1.

Invitation to “I am a witness” campaign

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:09:08 +0545

This campaign calls on caring Canadians and people from around the world to sign up to say they will witness the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal which is reviewing a complaint that the federal government discriminates against First Nations children by providing them with less child welfare funding and benefit than other children receive.

Flu supplies for First Nations: Province steps up to equip northern communities

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:34:55 +0545

The Doer government will help pick up the tab for thousands of flu kits that will help ailing aboriginal communities combat an expected resurgence of H1N1 this fall.

Inuit will be hit worst by swine flu, leaders fear

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:34:23 +0545

By now, the high-risk groups are well known: swine flu is bad news for pregnant women and youth. And like other viruses, it spreads easily among people in close quarters.

An assembly more representative

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:33:37 +0545

If the Assembly of First Nations has higher ambitions, it is time for it to begin considering how best to empower its constituency

Iqaluit site of northern development agency: PM

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:32:53 +0545

The headquarters for the new Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency will be located in Iqaluit, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on Tuesday.

The problems are familiar, and so are the solutions

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:32:09 +0545

It took a photo of two boys sleeping on the pavement in Iqaluit to show Canada the face of a young population in crisis.

But the problems behind that crisis, and the steps needed to remedy them, were painstakingly laid out in a 92-page document released in 2006.

Native leaders push for election reform

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:37:57 +0545

Search for new way to choose head of Assembly of First Nations focuses on whether current system fairly reflects the wishes of the native population at large

Big influence, tiny reserves

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:37:47 +0545

Calls grow louder for change in way the Assembly of First Nations elects its chief

Manitoba native leaders raise swine-flu fight funds

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:35:46 +0545

Manitoba's aboriginal leaders are trying to raise millions to supply their reserve communities with flu-fighting equipment because they don't trust the federal government to help if there's a pandemic.

Farewell to a hero

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:34:52 +0545

Hundreds of mourners lifted their voices in unison on a cloudy Monday morning, a haunting song to carry Donald Marshall Jr.’s casket through packed streets to his final resting place.

Aboriginal groups look at how traditional healers might help fight swine flu

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:34:04 +0545

For a sore throat, the roots of a type of plant that grows in the water. For a fever, the gum and needles of a spruce tree, boiled together and swallowed first thing in the morning. To prevent the spread of infection, the inner and outer bark of the spruce, given to everyone in a household.

NAHO National Aboriginal Role Model wins prestigious health research award

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:16:48 +0545

Julie Bull, a National Aboriginal Role Model in 2007, was the Canadian recipient of the Hart Hansen Award at a ceremony at the 14th International Congress on Circumpolar Health held in Yellowknife, NT.

H1N1 flu virus (Human Swine Flu) under surveillance

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:16:08 +0545

British Columbia continues to monitor and respond to the recent spread of the novel H1N1 flu virus (human swine flu). One hundred and two new cases have been confirmed since July 20 – 54 in Fraser Health, 28 in Vancouver Coastal Health, 16 on Vancouver Island, one in Northern Health and three in Interior Health – for a total of 536 cases in the province, the vast majority of which have been mild cases with patients either recovered or currently recovering.

National Chief Atleo makes Sask. first stop

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:14:30 +0545

Fresh from winning the post of Canada's top First Nations leader, National Chief Shawn Atleo made his first visit the home province of the man he defeated

National First Nations chief talks tough

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:13:46 +0545

The new national leader of aboriginals in Canada served notice to the federal government Thursday that he will be taking a tough stand to ensure Ottawa fulfils its obligations to his people.

GN to start vaccinating girls against HPV

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:13:07 +0545

The Government of Nunavut plans to start vaccinating all Grade 6 female students this winter against the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Atleo wins AFN election

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:52:07 +0545

British Columbia businessman Shawn Atleo became the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations on Thursday morning when his sole remaining contender conceded defeat after the eighth ballot.

Fontaine fears aboriginal people will be vulnerable to federal cuts

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:14:38 +0545

The outgoing national chief of the Assembly of First Nations said aboriginal people in Canada could be put in a vulnerable position once the country recovers from the recession and the federal government begins focusing on reducing the deficit.

Elders help with Pandemic Preparations

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:12:53 +0545

First Nations have experienced epidemics and pandemics of diseases in the past and the knowledge gained from that experience exists in the hearts and minds of Elders who survived. It only makes sense that Elders and traditional healers are making a substantial contribution to preparations which are underway for an outbreak of H1N1 flu which is expected to strike widely in the fall of 2009.

Introducing the First Online Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Training Program

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:12:14 +0545

The Centre for Suicide Prevention in partnership with Millbrook Technologies, the Canadian Mental Health Association and Aboriginal Leadership across the country are pleased to present the first ever national culturally-based suicide prevention online training program. The program called River of Life is designed to enhance the capacity of First Nations to implement suicide intervention, prevention and postvention approaches.

First Nations need better access to swine flu vaccine: AFN

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:11:33 +0545

Canada's Aboriginal Peoples need to be guaranteed access to drugs to treat the H1N1 virus in the face of a looming vaccine shortage, the Assembly of First Nations said Friday.

Manitoba appoints official aboriginal health adviser to help with swine flu

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:38:25 +0545

Manitoba has appointed a health adviser to help aboriginals deal with swine flu. Catherine Cook is to work with the province's First Nations communities and the federal government.

First Nations reserve to expand 10 times its size in $26.9-million project near Tofino

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:30:17 +0545

The largest government-funded expansion project on a B.C. First Nations reserve will be celebrated today by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.

Why are aboriginals more susceptible to swine flu?

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:28:54 +0545

Aboriginals make up 10 per cent of Manitoba's population, but account for two-thirds of the people in intensive care for swine flu. Nunavut, which is 85 per cent Inuit, has a disproportionately high rate of H1N1 infections. And the first person to die from swine flu in Australia was a young aboriginal man in one of the country's most remote communities, leaving Australian officials worried that aboriginals are at a higher risk for swine flu.

A burden of poor health

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:44:30 +0545

A national report has focused a light on the disturbing state of health among aboriginal children across Canada.However, the report's findings do not come as a shock in the NWT. "I'm not surprised," said National Chief Bill Erasmus of the Dene Nation.

The new school: Today's B.C. First Nations art

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:26:13 +0545

In the past half-century, British Columbia's First Nations artists have produced a torrent of vibrant and diverse works. Now, spurred by a leading art patron, a recently opened exhibit in southern Ontario is offering a glimpse at how today's artists on the northwest coast are infusing their cultural heritage with new influences and inspirations.

The Centre for Aboriginal Health Research (CAHR) - New website launch!

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:29:07 +0545

Centre for Aboriginal Health Research, CAHR, is pleased to announce launch of our new website - http://www.cahr.uvic.ca . Our centre is dedicated to promoting and engaging in health research in partnership with Aboriginal peoples to improve their health.

Ottawa pushes plan to boost native economy

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:28:26 +0545

Grappling with aborignal poverty and exploding population, Tories vows to boost business loans, provide more government contracts and speed development on reserves

Full consultations with First Nations comes first

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:27:38 +0545

The idea of reconstituted indigenous nations is a key part of the discussion paper posted the B.C. government website. Province-wide discussions between the First Nations Leadership Council and First Nations are currently taking place to discuss the paper. We must await the outcome of these discussions before any meaningful public consultation can take place. First Nations leaders have also publicly stated that it is premature to consider wider consultation at this stage.

First Nations pandemic teams bracing for fall flu carnage

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:17:23 +0545

A day after Manitoba marked its fifth death from the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, First Nations emergency planners in the province gathered on Monday to talk about how to prevent carnage in their communities this fall, when the flu is expected to surge.

Canada Day a good time to resolve to improve the lot of aboriginal people

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 14:40:47 +0545

It's our 142nd birthday tomorrow. We have much to celebrate. We should celebrate our freedoms. Freedom to choose our governments. Freedom to express ourselves. Freedom from want.

B.C. aboriginal health indicators show some improvement

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 14:40:19 +0545

While some improvements have been made in the health of aboriginal people, there is still much work to be done, according to a report released Thursday by the provincial health officer.

Aboriginals show health gains: Report

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 14:41:15 +0545

Aboriginal health in B.C. has made significant gains in some areas but deteriorated in others,, according to a provincial report released Thursday.

Aboriginal Day a hit at St. George's School

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 14:38:49 +0545

Teacher and organizer Darlene Sexton says it's a day many children at Our Lady of Mercy Elementary School in St. George's look forward all year long. Aboriginal Day festivities were held at the school last week. For the third year in a row teachers and students worked to make it a special cultural celebration.

Manitoba First Nations declare swine flu state of emergency

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:27:52 +0545

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has declared a state of emergency in Manitoba First Nations over the swine flu pandemic.

Aboriginal children's health below national averages: UNICEF

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:25:29 +0545

The infant mortality rate across Canadian First Nations reserves is up to seven times higher than among the general population, according to a report released Wednesday from UNICEF Canada.

Health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children Well Below National Averages

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:24:27 +0545

UNICEF Canada is marking the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child with the release today of a report called Aboriginal Children’s Health: Leaving No Child Behind- the Canadian Supplement to State of the World’s Children 2009. UNICEF Canada partnered with the National Collaborating Centre on Aboriginal Health to produce the report, which examines the health of Aboriginal children in Canada through the perspectives of national experts and analysis of existing data. The report concludes that health disparities between First Nations, Inuit and Métis children relative to national averages is one of the most significant children’s rights challenges facing our nation.

Vaccinate Canadians under 40 and natives first: experts

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:23:40 +0545

Five-to-40-year-olds and Canada's aboriginal communities should be the first to get vaccinated against human swine flu, experts say as Canadian officials decide who gets priority for the flu shots.

H1N1 claims two Manitobans: Winnipeg man, woman from north first deaths here

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:20:51 +0545

A Winnipeg man and a woman from northern Manitoba, both in their 40s, are the first two provincial residents to die of the H1N1 influenza virus.

Swine flu reaches Nunavut's Baffin region

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:19:08 +0545

The swine flu outbreak in Nunavut has spread to the Baffin Island region, meaning cases have been confirmed throughout the entire territory.

VON Launches New National Aboriginal Health Initiative Web Page

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:01:39 +0545

VON Canada has been working over the past ten years with a small number of First Nation’s communities to deliver basic health services on-reserve. Building on this spirit of cooperation and collaboration, in September 2008, VON Canada undertook an exciting new National Aboriginal Health Initiative with the direct participation and involvement of ten First Nation’s communities across the country.

Swine flu is hitting First Nations in Manitoba harder, province's top doc says

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:59:15 +0545

Manitoba's top doctor says it does appear that swine flu is hitting First Nations people in the province harder than non-aboriginal Manitobans. Dr. Joel Kettner said numbers of cases are still small and analyses have to be treated with caution, but the impression created by the number of medical evacuations from remote northern communities seems to reflect a real situation.

Nunavut Inuit wouldn't change diet over contaminant fears: study

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:58:31 +0545

Many Inuit living in Nunavut say they wouldn't change their diet over concerns about contaminants in their traditional foods, according to recent research.

Black ooze at old Cold War station frightens Labrador town

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:57:48 +0545

Health officials have told residents of a small community on Labrador's coast to be wary of possible contamination from an abandoned military site in their midst.

Province issues plea for nurses to work in flu-stricken north

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:57:05 +0545

Manitoba's health minister has issued a public plea to doctors and nurses to help northern communities hit hard by swine flu.

First Nations must pay out of pocket for swine flu drug or face delay

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:56:25 +0545

Members of First Nations in Saskatchewan are encountering bureaucratic hurdles when it comes to getting drug coverage for Tamiflu, an antiviral drug sometimes used in the treatment of swine flu.

WHO on verge of declaring H1N1 flu pandemic

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:24:27 +0545

The World Health Organization (WHO) is on the verge of declaring the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years, but wants to ensure countries are well prepared to prevent a panic, its top flu expert said on Tuesday.

Helping aboriginal women avert diabetes

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:15:55 +0545

It was once common practice to tell pregnant mothers to put their feet up and eat for two. But University of Western Ontario associate professor Michelle Mottola believes these old wives’ tales can harm an unborn child and she’s committed to changing such myths.

Government of Canada and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) Sign Agreement to Collaborate on Improving Inuit Health

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:14:48 +0545

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), today signed an extended Task Group Agreement to signal their continued cooperation on improving Inuit health.

Speaking out on violence against aboriginal women

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:14:04 +0545

Violence against aboriginal women is a global issue that hits hardest at a local level, says Monica Aleman, president of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum.

Nunavut disputes WHO's concerns about swine flu spike

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:13:01 +0545

Nunavut's top health official is downplaying fears about the severity of swine flu there, especially after the World Health Organization stated concern about a spike in flu cases in the predominantly Inuit territory.

News flash: The Inuit may be more at risk than seals

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:13:48 +0545

Animal rights enthusiasts are again in high dudgeon, this time because Canadian Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean ate a raw morsel of seal heart at an Inuit feast in Rankin Inlet and pronounced it good. Critics expressed disgust but their high-minded outrage deserves context.

Suspected H1N1 flu outbreak hits reserve

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:13:29 +0545

A remote First Nations community has shut down its school over heightened concern a severe flu is spreading among area residents. St. Theresa Point First Nation Chief David McDougall saidtoday an additional five children suffering from severe flu-like symptoms were flown to Winnipeg on Monday night.

New health services for Siksika Nation

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:10:30 +0545

The Siksika Nation, which is about an hour south of Calgary, has a new health services building. The building houses everything from medical care to dental services to counseling.

Most kids earn failing grade on exercise, report finds

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:09:50 +0545

Most Canadian kids are earning a failing grade on a new report card assessing their levels of daily exercise.

More stain repelling chemicals found in Inuit's traditional food than in store foods

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:09:07 +0545

The Inuit's traditional diet of caribou, fish and whale contains more nonstick chemicals than store-bought foods, but the exposure poses minimal risk, say the study's authors.

Province Unveils New Tools to Help Manitobans Reduce Their Risk of Diabetes

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:08:14 +0545

New, easy-to-use online resources will help more Manitobans identify the risk factors that can lead to Type 2 diabetes and find ways to prevent or delay the onset of the disease, Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today.

Root causes of suicide by children

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:45:24 +0545

The governmental response to the suicide problem at Manitoba's Shamattawa First Nation is classic, it would seem, in its form and predictable in its effect. The media storm that erupted in 2002 from a cluster of suicides and attempted suicides at the northern, isolated community, embarrassed governments to throw cash at the problem.

Opinions of First Nations sought in review of Indian Act

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:44:37 +0545

The standing Senate committee on Aboriginal Peoples is holding public hearings in Winnipeg and Dauphin this week. It is hearing from First Nations peoples on issues such as self-governance, political accountability and election reform.

Métis health authority idea bandied about at meeting

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:43:45 +0545

Saskatchewan's Métis people have made historic steps towards greater involvement in their health-care delivery.

Ombudsman to review First Nations child welfare services

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:42:24 +0545

A provincial review of child welfare services in First Nations communities will benefit them, says a child and family services worker in Burnt Church. Claudette Doiron is the director of child and family services for the First Nations community and said there are already standards that need to be followed and she welcomes any type of review.

Vaccine could lower RSV infections among Inuit children: researcher

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:40:08 +0545

A high rate of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections among Inuit babies in Nunavut could be curbed if health officials give a costly but proven vaccine to them, according to a new study.

Manitobans need to deal with aboriginal youths' sense of hopelessness

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:38:42 +0545

Dr. Catherine Cook, executive director of Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s aboriginal health programs, said many First Nations communities are isolated and lack proper health infrastructure to deal with youth suicide. Cook said youth feel hopeless, and there is often no support for them in their communities.

Drinking Water Advisories

Thu, 21 May 2009 19:23:32 +0545

As of April 30, 2009, there were 112 First Nations communities across Canada under a Drinking Water Advisory.

Manitoba First Nations fighting wave of child suicides

Thu, 21 May 2009 19:21:53 +0545

Two Manitoba First Nations are struggling with a plague of child suicides, prompting alarmed community leaders to beg the federal government for help.

Helping to Prevent Obesity in Ontario's Aboriginal Children

Thu, 21 May 2009 19:21:13 +0545

Health Nexus is pleased to announce a new project that will help to improve the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children and communities across Ontario.

Testing inconclusive on northern Alta. woman with swine flu who died

Thu, 21 May 2009 19:20:30 +0545

Testing on a woman in northern Alberta who died after contracting swine flu is inconclusive, Alberta's chief medical officer said Thursday.

Aboriginal diet focus of survey

Thu, 21 May 2009 19:19:52 +0545

London's First Nations came together to feast last night and plan a healthier diet. The community dinner at the N'Amerind Friendship Centre was used as a kickoff for a dietary study by a University of Western Ontario researcher.

Youth centre goes global

Thu, 21 May 2009 19:18:50 +0545

The droves of kids that flock to the Inuvik Youth Centre are well aware of all it has to offer. Now the secret is out for the rest of the world to see. The youth centre was front and centre in a two-hour-long TV program titled Makkuktuuvunga, Upimmavunga - I am young and I am proud, that aired May 13 on APTN North and streamed live on the Internet at www.niyc.ca. The centre was showcased among four innovative youth programs in Inuit communities in Canada, Alaska and Greenland.

Province Invests $1.2 Million to Train More Manitoba Nurses

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:46:28 +0545

The province of Manitoba will invest $1.2 million to begin training 74 additional nurses in communities across Manitoba, Advanced, Education and Literacy Minister Diane McGifford and Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

MP Neville wants Ottawa to look into disappearance of aboriginal women

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:45:59 +0545

Manitoba Liberal MP Anita Neville is asking Ottawa to launch a public and independent investigation of the disappearances of hundreds of aboriginal women in the last few decades. Over 245 aboriginal women and girls have been murdered or gone missing since 2000. Since 1970, the number is 520.

Federal Court of Canada rejects aboriginal bid to block pipelines

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:44:35 +0545

The Federal Court of Canada rejected Tuesday a bid by Manitoba aboriginal bands to block construction of three major pipeline projects. The court ruled aboriginals were treated fairly in 2007 when the National Energy Board approved the Keystone pipeline proposed by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline GP Ltd. (TSX:TRP) and the Southern Lights and Alberta Clipper pipelines proposed by Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB).

Protect water from oilsands or risk lawsuits: First Nations

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:41:37 +0545

First Nations groups warned a federal environment committee Tuesday they would turn to the courts to address their concerns if their water supplies were not protected from oilsands development.

U.S. polar bear decisions frustrate Nunavut Inuit group

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:40:39 +0545

The latest decision by the U.S. government to keep limiting the protection of polar bears has the head of a Nunavut Inuit association frustrated with that country's overall handling of the iconic Arctic species.

Hub offers help for aboriginals

Fri, 15 May 2009 10:38:44 +0545

Children and family services, mental and physical health support - the newly opened Aboriginal Community Hub provides a wide range of support mechanisms in Abbotsford.

Bennett should apologize for offensive election ad, grand chief says

Fri, 8 May 2009 15:00:40 +0545

The president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs wants a B.C. Liberal candidate in the East Kootenays to apologize for a campaign ad Grand Chief Stewart Phillip says is a backhanded slap at First Nations and his NDP opponent — a member of the Ktunaxa First Nation.

President Announces Web Consultations on CIHR's Draft Strategic Plan

Fri, 8 May 2009 14:35:58 +0545

The draft plan is designed to position Canada and CIHR as an international leader in health research. It sets out proposed key directions and priorities for the next five years that respond to scientific opportunities and the health needs of Canadians. I believe the draft plan will encourage greater innovation and collaboration amongst Canada's health researchers and with partners in the public and private sectors in Canada and abroad.

Expanded Opportunities to Comment on Draft 2nd Edition of the TCPS

Fri, 8 May 2009 14:36:15 +0545

In December 2008, the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (the Panel) released a substantial revision to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS) and began a cross-country consultation tour. The Panel held close to 30 consultations involving over 800 participants in 17 Canadian cities. Individuals, groups and organizations provided a significant number of comments. March 31, 2009 marks the end of this phase of the consultation process.

Swine Influenza Outbreak

Fri, 8 May 2009 14:34:53 +0545

The Tripartite Partners to the First Nations Health Plan are working closely to monitor, assess and respond to the recent Swine Influenza Outbreak, and to ensure that First Nations communities are supported during this time. Collectively, many agencies are working together in British Columbia – health authorities, the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, the Public Health Agency of Canada, First Nations & Inuit Health, British Columbia Region, and the Office of the Provincial Health Officer, among other partners – to investigate and respond to the recent spread of swine flu. A small number of human cases of swine flu have been confirmed in British Columbia – none in First Nations on-reserve communities.

AFN Launches Fitness Challenge on National Aboriginal Diabetes Awareness Day

Fri, 8 May 2009 14:32:00 +0545

National Aboriginal Diabetes Awareness Day, the Assembly of First Nations is calling on teachers for help in organizing this year's Fitness Challenge which is aimed at First Nations students. The goal of the fitness challenge is to raise awareness about the positive relationship between diabetes and healthy living

National organization launched for southern Inuit

Fri, 8 May 2009 14:31:07 +0545

Meeka Otway of Edmonton will tell you that living in a southern Canadian city can be tremendously isolating for an Inuk, which is why she welcomes the creation of new organization for urban Inuit.

Pope expresses 'sorrow' for abuse at residential schools

Fri, 1 May 2009 16:06:00 +0545

Pope Benedict XVI expressed "sorrow" to a delegation from Canada's Assembly of First Nations on Wednesday over the abuse and "deplorable" treatment that aboriginal students suffered at residential schools run by the Roman Catholic Church.

Aboriginal Sport Circle announces 2008 Tom Longboat Athlete and National Aboriginal Coaching award recipients

Fri, 1 May 2009 16:05:21 +0545

The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) is pleased to announce the National recipients for the 2008 Tom Longboat Athlete and National Aboriginal Coaching awards. The ASC accepts nominations from the sport and recreation community to honour outstanding Aboriginal athletes and coaches each year. These prestigious awards honour the accomplishments of amateur athletes and coaches of Aboriginal ancestry for 2008.

Métis, First Nations projects receive funding boost

Fri, 1 May 2009 16:04:38 +0545

Seven new projects aimed at improving the health of Métis and Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan will receive money this year from the federal government.

Aboriginal cuisine preps for the world stage

Fri, 1 May 2009 16:03:54 +0545

With Aboriginal foods about to be catapulted into the spotlight during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, these students are learning lessons that will help preserve their culture and may also nourish what some see as the next big thing on the local culinary scene - Aboriginal fusion cuisine.

First Nations delegation to meet privately with Pope

Fri, 1 May 2009 16:03:05 +0545

On the eve of its private audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Wednesday, a small delegation from Canada's Assembly of First Nations hailed the event as "historic and momentous." During the meeting behind closed doors, the Pope is expected to read a statement about the Roman Catholic Church's role in the residential school system in Canada.

Include indigenous rights in global climate change policies, summit told

Fri, 1 May 2009 16:02:32 +0545

Any global agreement on climate change has to include the rights of Aboriginal Peoples, delegates said Wednesday at an international climate change summit in Anchorage, Alaska. The connection between the rights of indigenous peoples and climate change took centre stage Wednesday at the Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change, hosted by the Inuit Circumpolar Council.

Reports highlights suicide crisis in young Inuit men

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:58:26 +0545

A new report on Nunavut's most tragic social problem suggests the reasons young people are killing themselves aren't that much different than anywhere else.

National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation awards over $1-million towards Métis Health Careers

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:57:43 +0545

The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation awarded an unprecedented $1-million through a Special Métis Health Career bursary to over 170 Métis students nationwide. The Health Canada funds were awarded to students studying health careers in the 2008/2009 academic year. There were 172 students who received funds to continue their studies in such disciplines as medicine, nursing, dentistry, health and laboratory sciences among others.

He was meant to be a mentor

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:56:45 +0545

Bernie Phillips is building the framework for trades training in his community. It isn't the trade he pictured himself in when he started out as a carpenter 15 years ago. Then again, he sort of fell into it.

First Nations Water Declaration for Ontario

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:55:35 +0545

The Chiefs in Ontario are pleased to announce the adoption of a First Nations Water Declaration to show their commitment to water protection. After a First Nation Water Policy Forum hosted by the Chiefs in Ontario last autumn, First Nations leadership along with Elders from various regions across Ontario voiced the need for a declaration on the importance of clean water for First Nation communities.

Goodall youth program goes to aboriginal communities

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:54:32 +0545

The Jane Goodall Institute and the Assembly of First Nations are teaming up to introduce a global youth program to aboriginal communities across Canada.

Behchoko residents vote to ban alcohol

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:53:33 +0545

People living in the Tlicho aboriginal community of Behchoko, N.W.T., have voted by a narrow margin to ban alcohol from their community. In a plebiscite held Wednesday, 256 voters supported the alcohol ban, while 237 voted against it.

Clock ticking on legal definition of 'Indian': Hundreds of thousands of natives could lose status by April 2010, some lawyers say

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 08:16:02 +0545

Parliament has less than a year to craft a new definition of "Indian" before Canadian native policy risks tumbling into chaos as the existing rules for determining native status are thrown out by the courts.

Newly appointed N.W.T. chief medical health officer resigns

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:41:26 +0545

After just two months on the job as the Northwest Territories' chief medical health officer, Dr. Cindy Orlaw has stepped down from the position. Orlaw, an aboriginal doctor and longtime northerner, had been expected to bring a new perspective to health care in the territory when she was appointed in February.

Band threatens to turf drug dealers

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:38:59 +0545

The Eskasoni First Nation in Nova Scotia has issued an ultimatum to drug dealers on the reserve: get caught dealing and lose all band privileges."If you are going to do things that are harmful to our community, then there will be consequences," Jamie Battiste, an adviser for the reserve in Cape Breton, said to CBC News yesterday.

Health officials to northerners: go easy on the fish livers

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:35:47 +0545

Health officials are asking people in Saskatchewan's north to limit their indulgence in a seasonal delicacy — jackfish livers.

AFN National Chief Encouraged by Australian Government’s Support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Urges Canada to Endorse the Declaration: “It is Never Too Late to Do the Right Thing”

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:30:13 +0545

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine commended the Government of Australia’s decision to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The announcement was made today by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

A sympathetic vision of public health

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:20:24 +0545

Still four months away from his confirmation as the next president of the Canadian Medical Association, Jeffrey Turnbull is becoming a hero to a new generation of idealistic physicians, preaching a redesigned vision of public health care and a commitment to the poor at home and abroad.

University of Victoria honours researchers

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:18:43 +0545

The University of Victoria's top researchers will be honoured tonight in recognition of their work in such diverse fields as English literature, aboriginal child health and mechanical engineering.

Eel Ground health centre a success

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:17:08 +0545

The First Nations community of Eel Ground is getting a lot of attention thanks to its community health centre. With a community health program in place, the centre has become a focal point for other First Nations communities trying to improve the health of their residents.

Poverty leads to drug, alcohol abuse in aboriginal kids: study

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:16:01 +0545

Poverty leads more aboriginal youth to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana than their Caucasian counterparts, a new Saskatoon study says.

Aboriginal stem cell donors in short supply

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:14:21 +0545

A shortage of aboriginal stem cell donors has prompted Canadian Blood Services to try to boost donation rates to give patients with leukemia and other life-threatening illnesses a shot at recovery. Stem cells are immature cells that can develop into any healthy cell present in the bloodstream, such as white or red blood cells. They're also found in bone marrow.

Gallagher to head First Nations Health Society

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:12:07 +0545

The First Nations Health Society (FNHS) today announced that its board of directors has named Joe Gallagher to serve as the society’s CEO. Other senior management appointments announced today include Marilyn Ota, VP Health Planning, and Michelle DeGroot, VP Health Policy and Advocacy.

Board Appointments to advance First Nations Health

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 18:11:07 +0545

First Nations Health Council today announced the incorporation of the First Nations Health Society and the appointment of its Board of Directors. The newly incorporated Health Society will act as the business arm of the Health Council. “The Health Council is pleased to have recruited such a dynamic board, one with experience in the public, private and First Nations sectors.” said Debbie Abbott, Co-chair of the First Nations Health Council. “Our vision is to develop the Health Council into a first rate First Nations health organization, and the combined experience of our new board lends itself naturally to capacity building and knowledge transfer.”

Funding preserves Nunavut suicide prevention hotline

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 09:02:30 +0545

A volunteer suicide prevention hotline in Iqaluit that receives as many as 13 calls a night will stay in business thanks to a recent fundraiser and continued support from the Nunavut government.

Native children face higher death rate: Study

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 09:01:35 +0545

Aboriginal children are dying at a rate four times higher than non-native youngsters in Canada and several other developed countries because of poverty, according to a report released Monday.

Infant's meningitis death prompts outcry over First Nations health care

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 09:00:28 +0545

The extremely private parents of a Manitoba baby who died from meningitis that was diagnosed too late are going public with their pain to call for better health-care for Canada's First Nations.

Native kids in uphill fight from birth, study finds

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 08:54:31 +0545

Infant mortality among Natives is up to four times that of non-aboriginals, says a study of the health of indigenous children in four countries. Grim findings such as those among non-related aboriginal groups have led the Canadian head of the project to conclude social conditions, not genetics, are the root of indigenous health problems.

Indigenous health care lessons unveiled for doctors

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 08:52:12 +0545

Medical residents and practising doctors will be offered educational programs on First Nations, Inuit and Métis health topics under a pilot project announced Wednesday. The Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and Health Canada unveiled the project in Ottawa.

Competitive sports promote healthy living among Canada’s most vulnerable youth

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 08:32:26 +0545

When Dr. Jeff Reading at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Aboriginal Health Research watched the North American Indigenous Games in Cowichan last year, he saw much more than the thrill of competition.

Saskatchewan's HIV infection rate a 'crisis': top health doctor

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:39:48 +0545

Health officials in Saskatchewan are pressing the alarm button over what they are calling a "crisis" in HIV infections. New infections with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, were detected in 174 people in Saskatchewan in 2008, according to information obtained by CBC News from the provincial Health Ministry. That is a 40 per cent increase over the 124 new cases detected in 2007.

Canada should mark World TB Day by fighting the disease's appalling grip on its First Nations

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:11:47 +0545

Today, on World TB Day, Canada can - and should - celebrate its leadership in fighting tuberculosis abroad. In addition to the $30-million Canada invests in international TB control each year, it recently committed $450-million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Clyde River nutrition studied

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:11:17 +0545

Clyde River's community lifestyle has drawn national attention. The small Baffin hamlet is one of eight aboriginal communities in Canada whose health, nutrition and fitness programs are being studied as role models in preventing diabetes.

Sask. sees HIV infections spike

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:10:27 +0545

Saskatchewan has seen a dramatic increase in HIV infections, putting the province far above the national average, health officials say. There was a 40 per cent increase in new cases of HIV — the virus that causes AIDS — detected last year, compared to 2007. That made for 174 new cases in 2008, the province’s chief medical health officer said Monday.

Doctor sharing: Eganville finds unusual solution to MD shortage

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:07:03 +0545

Eganville’s long search for a new family doctor has finally met with success, thanks to the assistance of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation. Hundreds of Eganville patients have been without a physician since Dr. Brian Good suddenly retired in October 2007. Good offered to hand over his office and equipment to a successor, but no physician came forward to assume his practice, which served 2,000 patients.

B.C. First Nation youth group to paddle from Glasgow to Orkneys

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:02:26 +0545

Members of a First Nations youth leadership group from Penticton, B.C., are headed to Scotland to paddle the North Sea. The Kwu Sukwna'qinx Canoe Family is a group of 13 girls and two boys, aged 11 to 18, from the Penticton Indian Band.

Saskatchewan teens tour Downtown Eastside

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:00:08 +0545

Two dozen teenagers from northern Saskatchewan toured Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Thursday night on a visit set up to illustrate how drug use can spiral out of control.

First Nations communities get vital water project funds

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:58:34 +0545

Water is crucial to life, and life became better Thursday for 14 First Nations communities across the country that got funding for water and wastewater projects from the federal government.

Innu man completes diabetes walk

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:10:01 +0545

The Innu community of Natuashish in Labrador welcomed a man Wednesday who walked 300-kilometres to raise awareness about diabetes in aboriginal communities. Michel Andrew, 27, ended his walk from Sheshatshiu to Natuashish at around noon after hiking across the Labrador wilderness. He was joined by two women from Natuashish for part of his journey, and a group of children from the community walked the last few kilometres with him.

Healthy challenge targets students

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:09:35 +0545

Students at Port Hardy Secondary have taken on a six-week challenge to be healthier. The Aboriginal Honour Your Health Challenge was headed up by Colleen Martin, who is on staff at the school.

Suicide intervention program launched

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:07:48 +0545

A new suicide prevention strategy coupled with an intervention training program for Nunavut's front-line workers will be introduced in the territory over the next year.

Metabolic syndrome and its components as predictors of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in an Aboriginal community

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:05:26 +0545

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes remain poorly characterized among Aboriginal Canadians. We aimed to determine the incidence of type 2 diabetes in an Aboriginal community and to evaluate prospective associations with metabolic syndrome and its components.

NTI President encouraged by Suicide Prevention partnership

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:59:27 +0545

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Acting President James Eetoolook is encouraged by the important partnership between the Embrace Life Council, the Government of Nunavut (GN), and NTI to produce a single suicide prevention strategy for Nunavut.

GN and NTI Take Leadership to Help Nunavummiut Choose Life

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:58:26 +0545

Premier Eva Aariak and acting NTI President James Eetoolook are taking leadership to help Nunavummiut choose life by announcing a suicide alertness and intervention training program. “Across the territory, I want people to choose life,” said Premier Aariak. “To that end, we are launching a training program, Uqaqatigiiluk!, to help family members, friends and front-line workers feel more comfortable, confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide by someone they know is at risk. Uqaqatigiiluk! will be delivered in the Inuit language and English across the territory this year.”

Centre offers help for troubled native teens

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:38:47 +0545

There will be no quick patch-up jobs when a groundbreaking treatment centre for at-risk First Nations teens opens near Chilliwack this fall. The Stehiyaq Healing and Wellness Centre, in a former youth detention camp beside the Chilliwack River, will take 28 teens aged 13 to 17 from all over the province -- including the Island -- and immerse them in a year-long residential program rooted in Coast Salish culture.

Innu man crosses Labrador on foot for diabetes

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:35:23 +0545

An Innu man from Sheshatshiu, N.L., began a 300-kilometre solo hike across barren wilderness Wednesday morning to raise awareness about diabetes in aboriginal communities.

Foundation studies First Nations’ food choices to improve heart health

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:03:10 +0545

First Nations people in Canada have higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and related problems such as diabetes and obesity. While there is much evidence showing that these problems are more consistent in this population, very little is known about the reasons why.

Inuit lack proper access to doctors: Report

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:02:14 +0545

The Inuit population in Canada were less likely than the general Canadian population to see a doctor at least once a year even though only half reported as being in good health, according to a survey released Wednesday by Statistics Canada.

Mi’kmaq social worker to receive national award

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:56:12 +0545

Some might disagree, but Joan Glode says she never accomplished anything on her own. At least, that’s how she explains becoming a recipient of this year’s National Aboriginal Achievement Awards for public service.

Film recounts health woes

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:53:37 +0545

Residents of Fort Chip-ewyan hope a 33-minute documentary about the effects of oilsands development on their tiny community will raise awareness and sympathy. The short movie titled Downstream claims nearby oilsand developments have led to abnormally high cancer rates, mutated fish, and polluted waters in the area.

Central RHA extends olive branch to First Nations

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:51:44 +0545

The Regional Health Authority — Central Manitoba Inc. is looking to change the strained relations between the First Nations community and the health care system. The beginnings of the Central RHA's attempt to reform the health care system to better serve to aboriginal patients began in Portage la Prairie on Wednesday evening as the RHA hosted the Aboriginal Community Forum.

Aboriginal Achievement Award recipients ready for the spotlight

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:48:08 +0545

They're among the brightest lights on Canada's cultural landscape and they shine in such diverse fields as business, science and the arts. Friday night, it's their turn to bask in the glow. The 15 recipients of 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards will be feted during a glitzy, star-studded gala in Winnipeg on Friday.

Is local food poisoning natives?

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:45:31 +0545

You might think that eating foods harvested locally is always best, but for some of B.C.'s aboriginal communities, local foods are not necessarily the healthiest choices -- they may even hurt people. University of Northern B.C. toxicologist Laurie Chan has launched an investigation of the benefits and risks to First Nations communities of eating traditional foods. His work has a lot to teach all of us.

Health group asks Ottawa to pump $700-million into heart strategy

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:40:31 +0545

Canada is a "heartsick nation" that needs to make a massive investment in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease to forestall a medical disaster, according to a broad coalition of health groups.

First Nations lead initiative to improve organ and tissue donation rates in Ontario

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:33:40 +0545

In partnership with Trillium Gift of Life Network, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) is asking all First Nations people to register their consent to donate their organs and tissues and is encouraging all communities in Ontario to follow NAN's lead in supporting organ and tissue donation.

Upper Fraser Valley - The Drug Action Task Force’s Commitment To The Health And Safety Of First Nations Communities

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:29:33 +0545

The RCMP continues it’s long and productive history of service to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, with their involvement on the Drug Action Task Force. For the past five years the RCMP’s Upper Fraser Valley First Nation Policing Unit has been working collaboratively with Sto:lo Tribal Council, Sto:lo Nation Community Development, School District representatives, and the Sto:lo Youth Committee coordinator on this initiative addressing the drug issues within First Nations communities.

Private medical clinic to be named for man who died in Winnipeg hospital

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:29:14 +0545

Plans are in the works to open a new walk-in medical clinic named after Brian Sinclair, the man who died while waiting for care in the emergency room of the Health Sciences Centre last fall.

NWT's new top doctor

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:20:13 +0545

As a child living in Inuvik, Dr. Cindy Orlaw still vividly remembers the rush she experienced attending drum dances with her mom at Ingamo Hall.

Historic health transfer at Chehalis

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:19:15 +0545

The Chehalis Band celebrated a community milestone Monday afternoon with the signing of a long-term agreement with Health Canada.

Carrier Sekani Family Services press release

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:18:21 +0545

Carrier Sekani Family Services would like to thank L’heidli Tenneh Nation for allowing us to conduct the Fourth Annual Northern Aboriginal Diabetes Conference in their traditional territory. On behalf of CSFS I would like to welcome all delegates to this year’s Diabetes Conference 2009.

Government of Canada Works With Nunavut to Help Curb Smoking Among Aboriginal Youth in the Territory

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:11:08 +0545

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced support for two separate tobacco-related projects designed to help prevent Aboriginal youth from smoking.

More than 50 % of Metis Adults Diagnosed with Chronic Health Conditions

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:31:10 +0545

The most commonly reported chronic health conditions among Métis adults were arthritis or rheumatism, high blood pressure and asthma. In all three cases, rates among Métis were higher than they were in the general population, after standardizing for age.

Federal government announces $50 million for housing on B.C. reserves

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:09:10 +0545

Just one month after five people died in a house fire on a Vancouver Island First Nations reserve, the federal government has committed $50 million for housing on B.C. reserves.

First Nation homes plagued by mould: UBC study links problem to asthma, other conditions

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:36:23 +0545

First Nations people have long complained that their homes are making them sick. Now, they've got scientific proof to back them up. A team of researchers at the University of B.C. is preparing to publish a study showing a direct link between mould-infested homes in one First Nation community and an increased incidence of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory ailments.

First Nations complete healing strategy in wake of tragedy

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:34:16 +0545

The Yellow Quill First Nation and two neighbouring First Nations have completed a healing strategy proposal to be submitted to a provincial-federal government committee as part of an ongoing effort to prevent further tragedies such as the freezing deaths of two young girls one year ago.

More than 200 peanut-related products now on Canada's recall list

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:33:33 +0545

The number of snack foods being recalled in Canada because of the deadly salmonella outbreak from tainted peanut products in the U.S. now tops 200. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added another 30 products to its recall list including snack bars from Pit Bull and Atkins Advantage and bags and cans of peanuts and bridge mix and ice cream from brands such as Madelaine, Ice Cream Specialties Inc., and North Star.

POPs change DNA in Greenlandic Inuit -- perhaps for generations.

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:32:56 +0545

Greenlandic Inuit with high levels of certain, long-lived industrial pollutants in their bodies also have DNA with altered function.

Empowerment is the path to better health care

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:31:09 +0545

Imagine living in a community where adults are not allowed to vote, government officials take away your children to be educated in a foreign language and a federal minister has the power to veto every decision made by local leaders. For most British Columbians such a nightmare existence would be unimaginable. Yet, for first nations communities across Canada, this was their reality in very recent history.

Media Release: The National Aboriginal Health Organization is Celebrating Birth

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:22:56 +0545

The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is hosting a special event to celebrate the rebirth of First Nations, Inuit and Métis traditional approaches to child and maternal care. At this event NAHO will announce its acceptance to be the new home for the “Canadian and American Traditional Midwives Blanket” and launch a selection of NAHO’s new midwifery, child and maternal health resources.

Geography professor partners with local Aboriginal Health Access Centre

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:21:29 +0545

In the late '80s the Ojibways of Pic River First Nation couldn't drink the water that surrounded their community after chemicals from a mine in the Hemlo Gold Camp contaminated their drinking water supply.

Video network to enhance health care on remote reserves

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:20:58 +0545

A new video conferencing technology in the works for Alberta's native communities is poised to give even the remotest reserves improved access to health-care services.

Aboriginals more likely to light up: Study

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:20:22 +0545

Aboriginal people are more likely to smoke - not because of their cultural background, but because they earn less than non-aboriginals, according to research conducted in Saskatoon.

Heart and Stroke Foundation Report Asks: What's in Store for Canada's Heart Health?

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:17:28 +0545

The Heart and Stroke Foundation's Annual Report on Canadians' Health reveals startling discrepancies between the cost and accessibility of basic healthy food within provinces and across the country. Depending on where you live, some Canadians are often paying more than double to almost six times the price for the same basic healthy food.

A marriage of medicine : Traditional ways must still have a place

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:14:46 +0545

Nearly 400 years ago, the Haudenosaunee people of what is now Six Nations reached an agreement known as the Two Row Wampum Treaty with Dutch settlers in upstate New York.

Aboriginal leaders frustrated after report finds cancer rates higher than expected

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:13:06 +0545

Researchers who examined cancer rates in a small aboriginal community near the oilsands in northern Alberta have found more cases than expected. But Dr. Tony Fields, a senior official with Alberta Health Services, said Friday the higher numbers shouldn't have people jumping to conclusions about a possible link to the environment.

Indigenous Teen Resilience To Be Studied By Circumpolar Researchers

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:16:06 +0545

The people of Alakanuk, Alaska already know the problems their young people face. Those problems have been well documented and studied, said Debbie Alstrom, a field research coordinator with the Center for Alaska Native Health Research who has spent most of her life in the small Southwestern Alaska community.

N.W.T. health minister delays changes to extended benefits

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:15:28 +0545

The Northwest Territories government is delaying its plan to cut back on its extended health benefits, due to a public outcry from seniors and other residents who say they would be hurt by the changes.

'Clean slate' for truth panel

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:14:38 +0545

Survivors of the Indian residential school system in Canada are closer to a long-awaited opportunity to publicly tell their stories, after a breakthrough yesterday in talks to rescue a special commission for that purpose.

Health care groups applaud funding for electronic health records

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:12:00 +0545

Health care workers welcomed the government's budget investments in electronic health and medical records but said it missed an opportunity to increase the supply of health providers.

Nunavut research pilot aims to predict labour in pregnant women

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:09:42 +0545

Nunavut health officials say research now underway could help expectant mothers in isolated and rural communities across Canada find out when they could be entering labour, allowing them to stay in their home communities longer.

Canadian Child Care Federation press release

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:08:41 +0545

The Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) is extremely disappointed that today's Federal Budget fundamentally denies Canada's families and workforce the support they need for early learning and child care. Billions of dollars will be going into building Canada's physical infrastructure, but key workforce supports such as the child care sector have been neglected once again. Child care and early learning services are inherently part of our society's infrastructure and the lack of accessible quality child care creates even more barriers for families trying to stay afloat in the workforce.

Residential school cash has deadly fallout

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:12:16 +0545

Payments to Indian residential school survivors, meant to compensate them for mistreatment, have led to suicides, substance abuse and depression across the country, documents obtained by Canwest News Service show.

Sacred Circle Project

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:14:08 +0545

Alberta Health Services (Edmonton Area) and the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association (ANFCA) have signed a letter of agreement to create the Sacred Circle project. The project will create a set of culturally-relevant and age-specific type 2 diabetes resources for Alberta’s Aboriginal children ages 8-12 years old. Project resources will be produced collaboratively between the Aboriginal Urban Diabetes Initiative (AUDI) of the ANFCA and the Holistic Interactive Program (HIP) to be Healthy project, including the Ways of Life for Families (WOLF) program, of the Aboriginal Diabetes Wellness Program of Alberta Health Services.

Government of Canada Works With Aboriginal Groups in Alberta to Curb Illicit Drug Use

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:14:17 +0545

Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced today that the Government of Canada is supporting projects under the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund that will strengthen drug prevention in Aboriginal communities in the Alberta region.

Government of Canada Takes More Action to Clean Up Drinking Water in First Nation Communities

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:14:22 +0545

The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians and the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced upcoming engagement sessions on the development of a proposed legislative framework for drinking water and wastewater in First Nation communities to begin in February 2009.

B.C. health authority to include Aboriginal beliefs to improve health outcomes

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:32:30 +0545

A new program in several B.C. communities hopes to improve the health of First Nations patients by including culturally appropriate practices and beliefs.

Ottawa sweetens pot for Arctic pipeline

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:06:33 -0800

The federal government has formally thrown its financial support behind a proposed multibillion-dollar Arctic pipeline Monday, labelling the Mackenzie gas project important to Canada’s sovereignty and energy security.

Nipawin Union Hospital needs dialysis unit

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:06:07 -0800

Chief Miller Nawakayas, Red Earth Cree Nation speaks on the need for a dialysis unit for the Nipawin Union Hospital.

Studies will benefit Nunavut: researchers

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:05:42 -0800

The people of Nunavut stand to benefit from scientific research that takes into account their cultural values, opinions and local knowledge, according to Nunavummiut involved in International Polar Year (IPY) projects.

Aboriginal Peoples Survey: School experiences of First Nations children aged 6 to 14 living off reserve

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:05:08 -0800

First Nations children aged 6 to 14 who lived off reserve were as likely as all children in Canada to be doing well in school (based on parents’ knowledge of their child’s school work, including report cards).

House fire on B.C. reserve focuses attention on Aboriginal housing

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:04:31 -0800

The deaths of five people in a house fire on Vancouver Island has renewed calls for improved housing conditions for Canada’s Aboriginal peoples.

Native leaders talk cash over dinner with PM, premiers

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:02:36 -0800

Canada’s five Aboriginal leaders met with the prime minister and premiers Thursday night over Alberta sirloin and a $22-a-bottle wine selection. Also on the menu: calls for federal-budget cash for native housing, job training and a range of building projects totalling more than $4.4 billion over the next two years.

Study finds high rates of street involved and marginalized Aboriginal youth in BC

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:59:06 +0545

A report released today provides a detailed analysis of the experience of marginalized and street involved Aboriginal youth in B.C.

Number of Nunavut suicides up in 2008: coroner

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:58:05 +0545

The number of suicides in Nunavut went up slightly in 2008 compared to previous years, according to Nunavut's chief coroner.

Scientists track impact of climate change using teeth of beluga, walrus

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:57:13 +0545

Researchers are hoping the huge tusks of the walrus and choppers of the beluga whale will help track the increasing impact of global warming on Canadian Arctic mammals and the Inuit communities that depend on the creatures for food.

Home-brewed 'superjuice' plagues dry communities in Manitoba's north

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:54:26 +0545

A potent new homebrew that is fuelling violence, suicide and crime is plaguing dry northern reserves in Manitoba. Chiefs, RCMP and politicians are struggling to deal with a toxic drink known as "superjuice" made with quick-fermenting yeast.

NAHO seeking First Nations, Inuit and Métis role models for youth award

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:53:28 +0545

The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is once again searching for Canada’s best and brightest First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth for nomination to the 2009-2010 National Aboriginal Role Model Program (NARMP).

Bringing two worlds together

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:15:50 +0545

Why are some Aboriginal communities coping better than others with such health issues as diabetes, teenage suicides, HIV and heart disease? What factors contribute to this resilience? And how can these factors be applied to improve the health and well-being of Canada’s most vulnerable population?

Band files new suit over fishing in Nemiah land-claims marathon

Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:25:43 +0545

A year after the B.C. Supreme Court ordered the B.C. and federal governments to negotiate a land claims settlement with a small Indian band in the Chilcotin - and just hours before an agreed deadline for action - the province's Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation delivered an offer.

Iron Eagle Fitness aims to pump up First Nations

Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:25:10 +0545

I just got back from Georgina Island on the weekend," says the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve citizen who has been involved in the physical fitness business for almost three decades and is known as Coach Rob.

A desperate problem - no easy fix

Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:24:04 +0545

Problems have plagued native-run family agencies, including the deaths of children. Sadly, solutions seem far away "I would like to talk to children. I have been up and down, to hell and back, and I don't want them to go into it. The talking, the first words, the crawling - I missed it. That's not right, every parent should see that." - Georgette Johnny

Panel on Research Ethics Launches the Draft 2nd Edition of the TCPS for Public Consultation

Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:22:06 +0545

The release of the draft 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS) is the culmination of seven years of consultation and collaboration between Canada’s research community and the members of the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (PRE).

Natives still suffer higher unemployment

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:29:19 +0545

Statistics Canada says native people still lag behind in the job market - even those with university and college degrees. The federal agency says there’s an off-reserve employment rate gap of six per cent between educated native and non-native people. See Full Report

Rise in female, aboriginal inmates alters prison population: StatsCan

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:29:04 +0545

A rising number of inmates at correctional facilities across Canada are females and aboriginal people, a change that poses a unique challenge for jails, a Statistics Canada report says.

Eggs key to polar bear survival: Study

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:26:56 +0545

Canada’s vulnerable polar bear population could survive the effects of climate change by switching a significant part of their diet from seal meat to scrambled eggs, according to a new U.S. study that suggests snow geese nests along the Hudson Bay shore may become a key feeding site for the iconic Arctic mammal.

Preserving aboriginal languages big challenge

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:24:01 +0545

That aboriginal languages worldwide are in serious trouble was apparent at a recent conference in Saskatoon to preserve and maintain languages.

Should Nunavut turn down free medical help?

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:19:10 +0545

The Nunavut health department has said no thanks to an offer of free research on a lung disease that sends nearly a third of Nunavut children under six months old who live outside Iqaluit to hospital.

Scientists predict seasonal ice-free Arctic by 2015

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:18:42 +0545

Ice in the Canadian Arctic is melting at such an alarming pace due to climate change that the North will be seasonally ice free in six years, according to a study released yesterday from a groundbreaking scientific expedition.

First Nations Environmental Health Championed in Two New Initiatives

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:58:56 +0545

Two new federally funded initiatives at the University of Northern British Columbia will increase knowledge of environmental health issues in First Nations communities across Canada, and aim to improve health outcomes for these communities.

Governor General Announces the Awarding of the Northern Medal to Ms. Bertha Allen, C.M.

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:53:50 +0545

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced today that the recipient of the Governor General’s Northern Medal is Ms. Bertha Allen, C.M. Ms. Allen will receive the award at a ceremony at a later date.

Statistics Canada

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:52:26 +0545

Statistics Canada released 10 Special Interest Profile products and four additional Income topic-based tabulations. The Special Interest Profiles are a new product which presents data for specific census topics and population groups according to selected demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic characteristics. The Income topic-based tabulations were originally planned to be part of the September 30, 2008 release, but were delayed.

Health care often inaccessible to Inuit: report

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:50:49 +0545

Inuit have far less contact with doctors than the average Canadian, particularly in the northern communities where few have access to hospitals, a new Statistics Canada report says.

Inuit lung cancer rates soar

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:47:06 +0545

Lung cancer rates are about one-and-a-half times higher among Canadian Inuit men and two to three times higher among Canadian Inuit women than in Alaska and Greenland, Young said.

First Nations dictionary released this week

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:46:48 +0545

First Nations communities in New Brunswick and Maine are celebrating the release this week of a Passamaquoddy-Maliseet dictionary.

B.C. First Nation says children taken due to housing crisis

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:43:39 +0545

A B.C. First Nation is demanding immediate action to deal with mould-infested housing that the community blames for a rash of pre-natal deaths, respiratory illness and child removals.

Invest in community health, NTI urges

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:43:22 +0545

Nunavut needs to invest in community health to reduce its dependence on southern hospitals and expensive medical travel, says a new social development report from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

Sixth Arctic caribou herd in rapid decline

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:42:57 +0545

A new study of one of Canada’s largest caribou herds seems to confirm fears that, like other herds in the western Arctic, it is suffering a steep and mysterious population decline.

2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards Winners

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:42:32 +0545

Country music sensation Crystal Shawanda led the field taking home five awards at the 10th annual Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a star-studded gala celebrating the best in Aboriginal music held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The evening’s big winner, Shawanda won every award she was nominated for, including Best Female Artist, Best Single, Best Video, Best Country Album, and Album of the Year.

National Aboriginal Health Organization to launch First Nations Children’s book at Canadian Aboriginal Festival

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:41:56 +0545

OTTAWA, ON - the First Nations Centre (FNC) of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) will launch Our Healthy Journey, a First Nations children’s book at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival.

National Aboriginal Achievement Awards announces its 2009 Achievers

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:41:35 +0545

Fourteen exceptional achievers, coming from diverse backgrounds, both culturally and geographically have been named recipients of the 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, the highest honour the community bestows upon its own achievers.

Scholars explore governance of indigenous genomics

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:34:54 +0545

A dozen scholars from across the globe met recently at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law to discuss the promise and perils of current efforts to transform indigenous people’s governance of genomic research.

Campbell pushes Feds for housing money

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:44:02 +0545

Premier Gordon Campbell was in Ottawa Monday trying to convince federal and provincial leaders to embark on a "major initiative" to build housing for seniors, first nations and the homeless.

Fort Chipewyan First Nations reject cancer review

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:43:49 +0545

First Nations and health representatives for Fort Chipewyan in northeastern Alberta are rejecting a review of cancer cases by the Alberta Cancer Board before the results are even released.

Six Nations woman honoured by Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:43:14 +0545

ASix Nations woman has received a prestigious Governor General’s commemoration of the Persons Case award. Beverly Jacobs, president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada for the last four years, was honoured last week at Rideau Hall, the home of Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean.

Environment minister to hear Fort Chipewyan health concerns

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:42:48 +0545

Alberta’s environment minister is heading to Fort Chipewyan on Monday to meet with aboriginal chiefs and community leaders about complaints of high cancer rates.

Yellowknife summit draws in aboriginal concerns on water

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:50:42 +0545

Aboriginal leaders, scientists and environmental activists from across Canada are talking this week about water quality at a national summit in Yellowknife.

Inuit welcome Aglukkaq as federal health minister

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:50:15 +0545

Inuit leaders applauded Leona Aglukkaq’s appointment to the federal cabinet Thursday, while expressing their expectation that the new health minister will improve health care in Canada’s North.

Program funds development of young Aboriginals across Atlantic Canada

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:49:36 +0545

When Health Canada first introduced a pilot project that would fund the early development of young aboriginals in Atlantic Canada it wasn’t enough.

Aboriginal baby boom well under way in Canada

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:49:01 +0545

The aboriginal "baby boom" is well underway, despite falling birth rates among other Canadians, according to Statistics Canada.

National Inuit Leader Responds to the Aboriginal Children’s Survey

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:46:58 +0545

Statistics Canada released information today from the Aboriginal Children’s Survey, with a focus on the family, community, and childcare of Aboriginal children under six years of age.

Aboriginal Children’s Survey 2006 Release

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:45:56 +0545

Statistics Canada released the Aboriginal Children’s Survey (ACS) 2006 data today at 8:30 am EST. This first-time national survey provides information on the development and well-being of First Nations children living off-reserve, Métis children and Inuit children under the age of six.

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, New Minister of Health

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:32:53 +0545

Leona Aglukkaq was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008. Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Aglukkaq represented the district of Nattilik in the Nunavut Legislative Assembly since 2004. She served as the territorial Minister of Finance and House Leader. She also held the post of Minister of Health and Social Services.

Inuit fare yields to nutritionist’s nightmare

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:52:07 +0545

On a Saturday afternoon in summer, the foothills that frame this Inuit village on Quebec’s northernmost coast are dotted with white tufts of Arctic cotton, the purple-pink of dwarf fireweed, crowberries and liverwort and yellow oxytrope. With its beach glass and fossil-crusted stones, the shoreline would be picturesque, too, if it weren’t littered with broken bicycles, Pepsi cans, Gobstopper wrappers and potato chip bags.

Lifestyle Changes Lead to Dramatic Cancer Increase among Inuit People

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:51:54 +0545

Cancer rates have been skyrocketing among the Inuit people - a dramatic rise that researchers say can be traced to changes in smoking, diet, and other lifestyle factors, according to a review published in the September issue of The Lancet Oncology.

SFU, first nation interactive website collaboration honoured by UNESCO

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:48:18 +0545

A website collaboration between Simon Fraser University and the Fraser Valley’s Xa:ytem Longhouse Interpretive Centre is being honoured by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People Are Now in Effect

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:48:04 +0545

The CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People were developed through extensive consultation with Aboriginal communities and researchers across Canada. These Guidelines are aimed at promoting and enabling health research that is in keeping with Aboriginal values and traditions. They do this by establishing clarity of expectations and responsibilities among all parties.

Health Care in Canada 2008

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:46:11 +0545

Today, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) released the ninth edition of Health Care in Canada.

Dr. Malcolm King Appointed Scientific Director of CIHR’s Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:44:38 +0545

Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with CIHR’s Governing Council, announced today the appointment of Dr. Malcolm King as incoming Scientific Director of CIHR’s Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health (CIHR-IAPH). This appointment is effective January 1, 2009.

The CIHR-Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health Travel Award

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:56:07 +0545

The CIHR-Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health is pleased to announce a Travel Award to facilitate travel for Aboriginal individuals - research trainees and community members - who will present or provide posters at scientific events in a field relevant to Aboriginal Health Research.

Arctic air temperature at record high due to sea ice loss

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:34:20 +0545

The continuing loss of sea ice has pushed the air temperature in the Arctic to a record high above normal, scientists have revealed.

News Release: National Aboriginal Role Models of NAHO claim silver and bronze at Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:33:45 +0545

The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is pleased to congratulate two National Aboriginal Role Models for their success at the 2008 North American Indigenous Games in Cowichan Valley, B.C. last August.

Care for diabetes moves to communities

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:30:30 +0545

The thousands of people living with diabetes on Manitoba First Nations communities will no longer have to move or travel to receive some of the care that’s needed to deal with the rampant disease.

Labrador dumps raided for groceries

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:30:10 +0545

A health department in Labrador has posted public warnings about rotten and expired food, after reports that people have been foraging in municipal dumps, because they can’t afford to buy groceries in the north.

Beardy to press new MPs on First Nations concerns

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:47:39 +0545

First Nations leaders in Northwestern Ontario plan to create awareness of aboriginal issues with the new members of parliament.

Aboriginal literacy not a problem in a vacuum

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:47:01 +0545

Education ministers from across the country met in Fredericton last month, and when meetings broke, the ministers had set their sights on improving literacy levels, particularly among Aboriginal Canadians.

Help find Maisy and Shannon

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:10:52 +0545

The Help Find Maisy & Shannon Groups are asking for help to submit donations to raise a reward for the safe return of Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander. The two First Nations youth from Kitigan Zibi community, which is north of Ottawa, Ontario, have been missing since Sept 5, 2008.

News Release: Métis Centre of the National Aboriginal Health Organization launches two new books.

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:09:42 +0545

The Métis Centre of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) announces the launch of two new publications: In the Words of Our Ancestors: Métis Health and Healing and the Métis Cookbook and Guide to Healthy Living, Second Edition.

NTI to create own plan for more Inuit nurses

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:08:52 +0545

Nunavut Tunngavik is creating its own action plan to attract and retain Inuit nurses in hopes it will enhance the Nunavut government’s efforts to deal with the shortage of nurses territory-wide.

Ship visiting Labrador communities for survey of Inuit health

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:07:47 +0545

A comprehensive survey of the health of Labrador’s Inuit gets underway Monday in Nunatsiavut. A specially outfitted coast guard ship will carry the survey crew to Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet. Residents of the coastal communities will be tested for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart conditions.

Emergency Room’s Neglect Horrifying

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:07:02 +0545

Grand Chief Morris Swan Shannacappo of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization is demanding federal and provincial governments and politicians immediately address a wide range of issues that may have come into play during tragic situation surrounding the death of Brian Sinclair at the Health Sciences Centre.

Goudge report applauded by First Nations leaders

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:06:09 +0545

Long before Dr. Charles Smith shattered public confidence in pediatric forensic pathology in Ontario, First Nations communities may have already lost trust, Justice Stephen Goudge said in his report released today.

Exploring Canada’s health care workforce

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:07:09 +0545

The Canadian Institue for Health Research (CIHI) released Canada’s Health Care Providers, 1997 to 2006, A Reference Guide Sept. 30, 2008. The guide provides the latest available information on 24 health service occupations in Canada, including midwives, dentists, audiologists and chiropractors.

Stop tranquillizing polar bears for research, NTI says

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:06:41 +0545

Leaders with Nunavut’s land-claim organization say they want scientists to stop tranquillizing polar bears and other wildlife, citing the concerns of Inuit elders and hunters about the impact of that practice on their health.

Man’s death in Winnipeg ER ’preventable’: chief medical examiner

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:05:24 +0545

Death was preventable for a Winnipeg man found after more than 34 hours in the waiting room of a major hospital’s emergency department, the province’s chief medical examiner said Wednesday.

Physician Advocacy Essential for Canada’s First Nations

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:04:21 +0545

The Government of Canada recently apologized to our First Nations’ people for its residential school policy, which effectively suppressed the linguistic, cultural and spiritual practices of their pupils, with the ultimate aim of assimilation. Federal underfunding coupled with harsh discipline, exacerbated by the presence of abusive staff in some schools, also served to demoralize students and compromise their resistance to disease.

Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Contributes $1 Million to Cornwall Community Hospital Renovation Project

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:03:26 +0545

Akwesasne, ONTARIO - The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) announced that it has made a substantial contribution to ensure that Akwesasne community members will continue to access and receive quality heath care at the Cornwall Community Hospital. MCA has made a $1 million donation to be dispensed over a five-year period towards the hospital’s recent and ongoing renovations to make it the region’s leading State-of-the-Art medical facility

NAHO Press Release - Naasautit Will Share the Numbers and the Knowledge for Health

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 12:02:36 +0545

OTTAWA, ON - Naasautit: Inuit Health Statistics is a national project to enable Inuit regional organizations and communities to make better use of existing statistics on Inuit health. In the next year the Naasautit (an Inuit language word for numbers) project will develop the tools to measure and describe the health conditions of the 50,485 Inuit in Canada.

Aboriginal Health Initiatives Program Information

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:05:47 +0545

The Aboriginal Health Initiatives Program (AHIP) call for proposals will not occur until September 2010. The saturation of the AHIP funds is due in part to the implementation of the recommendation of the AHIP Evaluation which states that all AHIP funds will only be granted for a three (3) year duration, and not less than three (3) years. We do not expect new/additional funds to become available until 2010/2011.

My Big, Fat Diet

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:07:37 +0545

Supersize Me meets Northern Exposure in My Big Fat Diet when the Namgis First Nation of Alert Bay gives up sugar and junk food, returning to a traditional style of eating for a year to fight obesity and diabetes.

Reminder of the AIDS struggle

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:07:13 +0545

Every day an aboriginal person tests positive for HIV in Canada. To help address the problem, Regina recently joined the rest of Canada on the walk for AIDS through the All Nations Hope AIDS Network (ANHAN).

Land claim pact brought few benefits: study

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:06:50 +0545

The James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement has produced mixed results for Inuit and Cree in northern Quebec, says a report published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, an independent Canadian think-tank.

New First Nations staff bolster research credentials at National Aboriginal Health Organization

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 23:47:44 +0545

Ottawa, ON - Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), announced today that NAHO has successfully engaged three new researchers through the competitive process to fully complement it’s First Nations Centre.

Macaulay nation’s top family doc

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 23:47:17 +0545

The College of Family Physicians of Canada has named family medicine professor Dr. Ann C. Macaulay "Family Medicine Researcher of the Year" for 2008.

Inuit Health Survey kicks off second year with high hopes, less ice

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 10:57:59 +0545

With the start-up of the second year of the International Polar Year (IPY) Inuit Health Survey, I reflect over the work ahead while en route to Inuvik in northern Northwest Territory, a two-day plane ride from Montreal. When we were planning for this voyage in 2006, the Coast Guard informed us that our biggest challenge in moving from community to community from the far western town of Tuktoyaktuk eastward to Resolute would be navigating the ice packed waters of the Northwest Passage.

Elder interviews to become podcasts

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 10:57:17 +0545

The Inuit Knowledge Project was established by Parks Canada in 2005 in an effort to incorporate traditional knowledge into the management of Nunavut’s national parks, according to Micheline Manseau, an ecosystems scientist with the Nunavut Field Unit of Parks Canada and one of the primary investigators of the Inuit Knowledge Project.

Pesticides we use end up in the Arctic

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 10:53:38 +0545

A single gunshot jars the silence of the frigid Arctic air as an Inuit hunter claims his prize on this whaling trip. There is a predator-prey relationship between the hunter and the whale, but they are also connected by a sacred bond of respect and affinity with one another.

National Aboriginal Achievement Award Nomination Deadline Approaching

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 10:52:55 +0545

TORONTO. There is only four weeks to go until the deadline for nominations for the 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards (NAAA) close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday September 19, 2008.

Improving Access To Care In The North

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:24:31 +0545

August 27, 2008 - The Ontario government is expanding in-the-field training at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is providing $3.3 million to expand local medical centres and improve internet connections in 77 communities over the next three years. This will allow medical students to see patients in small, rural and Aboriginal communities, while staying in close contact with their teachers by using videoconferencing and distance learning.

NAN Health Careers Role Model initiative requesting nominations for First Nation role models

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:23:26 +0545

Do you know someone who has made a difference in the well-being of their community? Someone who has provided excellent health care to the people of NAN? Someone who is on their way to a career in health? We want to know who they are!

Aboriginal adoption a challenge for families

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:23:01 +0545

August 25, 2008 - Donna Falconer and her husband, Lyle Cowles, watch their 21-month-old daughter Helena play with her stuffed polar bear as she bounds around the house, giggling and carefree. The couple smiles, still marvelled by her energy.

Circle talks help ease the crushing pain of dealing with suicide

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:20:54 +0545

August 25, 2008 - Alex Nelson’s willingness to tell his story of pain and healing has helped many people over the years. In 1989, he lost his 20-year-old son, Darren, to suicide, a tragedy that left him and his family hard-pressed to know what to do.

Native agency hailed for saving kids

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:18:32 +0545

Aug 25, 2008 - The homes are full of mould, sewage backs up in the bathtubs, power is iffy and food costs twice what it does everywhere else.

Project helps Inuit adapt to changing Arctic

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:17:36 +0545

August 25, 2008 - For Inuit, the changing Arctic climate does not merely provide fodder for the climate change debate -- it presents a threat to their way of everyday life as they struggle to cope with an increasingly volatile environment.

First Nations Agency Honoured with Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:37:49 +0545

August 20, 2008 (TORONTO) - Success in improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal children in remote communities has earned Tikinagan Child and Family Services the prestigious 2008 Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award. Sponsored by the Atkinson Charitable Foundation and the Hindmarsh families, the award will boost the operations by this Native Children’s Aid Society in 30 remote fly-in First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario.

Fort William First Nation has new health centre

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:36:56 +0545

August 20, 2008 - The victim support grants program is funded by a $2-million investment provincewide for aboriginal communities and organizations, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit. The funding will provide linguistically and culturally appropriate services to aboriginal victims of crime.

Mutated fish caught in lake downstream of Alberta’s oilsands

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:12:05 +0545

August 20, 2008 (Alta) - Information about a mutated fish caught downstream from Alberta's oilsands region will be sent to a joint government-industry group that monitors the health of rivers and lakes.

Nature’s supermarket

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:10:11 +0545

August 20, 2008 (Vancouver) - Dolly Watts of the Gitk’san First Nations had a further advantage. She inherited thousands of years of tradition and knew her way around that store better than most consumers of wild edible foods.

First Nations communities prepare for battle over water, culture

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:07:33 +0545

August 20, 2008 - It was a weekend of concerns over unnecessary death and pain, but also of hope, praise and planning.

New agreement intended to improve aboriginal health care in Saskatchewan

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:04:28 +0545

August 20, 2008 (FORT QU’APPELLE, Sask) - A new agreement in Saskatchewan aims at closing the gap between health care for aboriginals and the rest of the population.

NAHO signs Memorandum of Understanding Agreement with Metis Settlements General Council

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:01:19 +0545

August 19 , 2008 - Gift Lake Metis Settlement, AB - Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Agreement with the Metis Settlements General Council (MSGC). The purpose of the MOU is to formalize organizational interests in areas of potential mutual collaboration.

Northern notables weigh in on Canada’s strategy

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:00:35 +0545

August 16, 2008 - CanWest News Service asked some of Canada’s most notable northerners, Inuit leaders and polar experts to contribute to a "wish list" of actions that should be taken to advance Canada’s interests in the Arctic.

Parliamentarians address health issues during UAF conference

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:59:06 +0545

August 13, 2008 (FAIRBANKS) - An important key to human health in the Arctic lies in a syringe. The introduction of vaccines has contributed to the improved health of people in the Arctic during the last 50 years, said Dr. Alan Parkinson, deputy director of the Arctic Investigations Program of the National Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Research Centre on Aboriginal Health at University of Victoria!

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:25:00 +0545

The University of Victoria Aboriginal Health Research Group has received centre status! In May, the UVic senate approved the creation of a Centre for Aboriginal Health Research (CAHR). Built on the foundation of UVic’s Aboriginal Health Research Group, the new centre will promote the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples, whose health disparities require urgent attention. The Co-Directors of the new centre are epidemiologist Jeff Reading and psychologist Chris Lalonde.

Canada’s Government Announces Aboriginal Health Care Reform in Nova Scotia

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:32:09 +0545

August 12, 2008 - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced today reforms that will help improve the delivery of Aboriginal health care in Nova Scotia.

Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:30:58 +0545

The First Nations Centre (FNC) of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) in partnership with the Elsipogtog Health and Wellness Centre (EHWC) is hosting a traditional gathering, Gegenoatatoltimg: Sharing the Knowledge, during September 8-15, 2008. The purpose of the gathering is to bring people together to share knowledge on healing body, mind and spirit, and will provide many opportunities for healing and dialogue. This event is both national and regional in scope and is scheduled to take place at the EHWC and surrounding grounds of the Elsipogtog Mi’kmaq First Nation in New Brunswick. A variety of activities during the week will lead up to the conducting of shaking tent ceremonies on September 13th.

Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) Launches A New Public Service Announcement

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:30:09 +0545

August 11, 2008 (OTTAWA) - Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (A.N.A.C.) is launching a new public service announcement campaign to promote nursing careers to Aboriginal youth and to encourage Aboriginal nurses to become a member of A.N.A.C.

Success In The City - Examining Aboriginal Youth Moving From Rural To Urban Communities

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:29:17 +0545

August 11, 2008 - Vancouver Native Health Society (VNHS) is pleased to share the results of our study that examines the causes of difficult youth transition from rural Aboriginal communities to urban environments. We have included in the study some suggestions on ways to ease this transition.

Travelling Inuit health survey begins work in Tuktoyaktuk

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:28:42 +0545

August 11, 2008 - Medical researchers aboard the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Amundsen are in remote western Arctic communities this month to continue their work on the first comprehensive survey of Inuit health in Canada.

Natives take on enemy diabetes

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:27:49 +0545

August 8, 2008 - Used to be, Shawn Snake could drive his truck from Chatham-Kent to Ottawa without stopping at a service station. Then, he started getting tired. He was only 36 at the time, but suddenly he couldn’t make it to Toronto before pulling off for a washroom break and a nap.

Health officials worry as gonorrhea makes comeback in North

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:27:14 +0545

August 7, 2008 - Medical authorities in Nunavut and northern Quebec say they're concerned about the resurgence of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection, across the region.

McGill Inuit health survey beginning soon

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:25:58 +0545

August 5, 2008 - An Inuit health survey is taking place across the northern parts of the country, with the team of researchers finishing their work in Nunatsiavut. The survey, which begins Aug. 10, is being performed by the McGill University Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment. More than 1,000 people in 20 communities in Canada’s north will take part.

Nunavut to release climate-change adaptation plan

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 17:06:26 +0545

July 30, 2008 - The Nunavut government is expected to release its strategy this fall on how it plans to deal with the effects of climate change.

Aboriginal Health Care Conference:Challenges, Issues and Advances in Cross-Cultural Care -Ontario’s Aboriginal Experience

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 17:04:56 +0545

July 30, 2008 - The health and well-being of Aboriginal peoples in Ontario is influenced by many factors, such as culture, geography, an aging population, shifting demographics and the challenge of blending traditional healings and contemporary medicine. Consequently, a collective, community approach is required to develop a framework that provides appropriate care.

Elders, scientists talk climate change

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 17:03:03 +0545

July 30, 2008 (IQALUIT) - With the mercury pushing far past 20 C and into record-breaking territory, the Planning for Climate Change Symposium in Iqaluit took on added significance.

Tribal journey

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 17:00:12 +0545

July 29, 2008 - Canoes arrive in Cowichan Bay, B.C. to mark the start of the North American Indigenous Games

Paddle to Quw’utsun 2008 Tribal Journeys Canoe Voyage

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 16:59:29 +0545

July 28, 2008 - First launched in 1989 as a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ highly sophisticated relationship with the ocean, Tribal Journeys is one of the most prominent cultural events associated with the North American Indigenous Games.

Dialing in on health

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 16:57:32 +0545

July 28, 2008 (NUNAVUT) - Next spring, three unique television shows on Inuit health will be broadcast live around the territory, and viewers will be able to call in with their concerns.

Government of Canada Partners with the Kee-Way-Win First Nation on New Water Treatment Plant

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 16:53:49 +0545

July 24, 2008 (ONTARIO) - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, today announced the grand opening of a water treatment plant in the Kee-way-win First Nation.

Communities to benefit from VIHA funding to enhance access to local, healthy food

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 16:50:25 +0545

July 22, 2008 (VICTORIA)- The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) is enhancing community-based food security initiatives with a Request For Proposals (RFP) aimed at ensuring Vancouver Island residents have access to nutritious healthy foods everyday. The RFP will build on projects started over the past four years through the Community Food Action Initiative (CFAI), with almost $192,000 earmarked for projects this year through a partnership between the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport and VIHA.

Chief Shawn Atleo appointed Chancellor for Vancouver Island University

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 16:51:03 +0545

Robin Kenyon, Board Chair for the new Vancouver Island University (VIU) announced today that Chief Shawn Atleo (A-in-chut) has been appointed as the University’s first Chancellor. Chief Atleo will be installed in the role of Chancellor at a community ceremony in Nanaimo, September 2008.

Province gets $10.2M for aboriginal services

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:41:55 +0545

July 23, 2008 - Nova Scotia is getting $10.2 million over five years from the federal government to provide better community services to First Nations communities.

Feds putting $100-million towards Sask. First Nations family services

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:40:53 +0545

REGINA, July 23, 2008 - The federal government will spend $105 million to help reduce the number of Saskatchewan aboriginal children in foster homes.

Native Women’s Association of Canada : Walk for Missing Sisters in Saskatchewan

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:39:09 +0545

OTTAWA, July 22, 2008 - All this week people from across Saskatchewan will be taking part in the Walk for Missing Sisters to raise awareness for missing Aboriginal women, children and men. Beverley Jacobs, President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), will be joining Herb and Pauline Muskego in this final annual walk dedicated to their daughter, Daleen Kay Bosse Muskego, missing since May 18, 2004.

Good luck, native athletes

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:38:30 +0545

July 20, 2008 - Mi’kmaq athletes from around Nova Scotia were in Halifax on Saturday to receive an official send-off for next month’s North American Indigenous Games in British Columbia.

An Island First Nation’s small nutrition miracle

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:37:39 +0545

July 20, 2008 - By 2010, the Canadian Diabetes Association estimates a cost of $15.6 billion to the health-care system. But, thanks to the determined work of a Métis physician and a small First Nations band at Alert Bay, a year-long experiment featuring a fat-and-protein based traditional aboriginal diet offers hope that a solution is possible.

Iqaluit study to focus on pregnant smokers

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:34:35 +0545

July 18, 2008 - Researchers are preparing to start a study in Nunavut’s Baffin region to determine why pregnant women smoke, and develop recommendations on how to help them butt out.

Panel on Research Ethics releases 17 reports from working committees

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:31:26 +0545

OTTAWA, July 10, 2008 - The Panel on Research Ethics is pleased to announce the public release of 17 of its working committee reports, including the AREI report on Aboriginal Research, recommending changes and clarifications to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS). The reports are an important step in the process of developing a second edition of the TCPS and are available on the Panel’s website at www.pre.ethics.gc.ca, under "Publications and Reports".

Haida oppose ’new world oil order’

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:30:55 +0545

July 15, 2008, VANCOUVER - A "new world oil order" may be emerging for oil, but one of the world’s indigenous oldest communities isn’t prepared to race into it.

Ajunnginiq Centre awarded International Polar Year funding for TV shows on Inuit health

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:28:59 +0545

The Ajunnginiq Centre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) has been awarded $400,000 in funding from the Government of Canada International Polar Year program to produce three live, phone-in TV shows in the Inuit language about health and wellness issues that matter to Inuit. Each interactive, engaging episode will focus on one of the following: Inuit youth resilience and coping skills; Inuit men’s emotional, physical and mental health; and Inuit midwifery and maternal child health.

Children’s dental surgery backlog

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:27:52 +0545

July 14, 2008, HAY RIVER - A new funding arrangement soon to be signed by the GNWT and Ottawa will bring children’s dental surgery back to Hay River.

Pine beetle poses threat to native communities

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:27:25 +0545

July 14, 2008, VANCOUVER - The mountain pine beetle infestation in British Columbia is changing the lives of rural First Nations on a scale not seen for generations of native elders.

Journey Strengthens Relationships with Aboriginal Youth

Sat, 5 Jul 2008 04:30:13 +0545

June 30, 2008 - The Province is providing a total of $30,000 to the Pulling Together Canoe Society and Ride With The Tides Productions to strengthen relationships between police, Aboriginal youth and communities and to increase awareness about First Nations cultures, Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister Michael de Jong announced today.

The Métis Centre at NAHO is pleased to announce their new Web site.

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 00:42:49 +0545

We look forward to adding new resources to this Web site as they become available, and we hope that this site will become a useful tool for everyone interested in Métis health.

New look, new content on Irnisuksiiniq-Inuit Midwifery Network Web site

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 00:34:00 +0545

Through this Network, midwives, maternity-care workers and people with an interest in midwifery receive current news, research, and notices about conferences and training in their field.

New senior staff add vitality and energy to the National Aboriginal Health Organization

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 00:32:51 +0545

June 27, 2008 - The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is pleased to celebrate the accomplishments of 27 year old Inez Jasper of Chilliwack, British Columbia. On the same day she was announced as one of this year’s 12 National Aboriginal Role Models, a program administered by NAHO, she also won a talent contest at the Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival.

Singing her way to Success: A National Aboriginal Role Model of NAHO wins $10,000 in Aboriginal Day Talent Contest

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 00:31:51 +0545

Anishinabek name first Citizenship Commissioner

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 00:25:28 +0545

June 27, 2008 - Jeannette Corbiere-Lavell, who led a Supreme Court challenge of the federal government’s system of determining Indian Status, is the first Anishinabek Nation Commissioner on Citizenship.

UVic Appoints National Aboriginal Economic Development Chair

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:12:06 +0545

June 25, 2008 - Canadian-born Indigenous scholar James Hopkins will become the inaugural National Aboriginal Economic Development Chair, based in the Faculties of Business and Law at the University of Victoria. This new position, the first of its kind in Canada, will direct a program of research, relationship building and educational initiatives aimed at promoting Aboriginal economic development in Canada.

Becoming an aboriginal role model

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:28:59 +0545

June 21, 2008 - For somebody who didn’t know he was aboriginal until he was 20 years old, the journey to being honoured as one of 12 national aboriginal role models has been bumpy.

2008 National Aboriginal Role Models Announced

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:27:55 +0545

June 21, 2008 - The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is proud to celebrate the announcement of 12 new national Aboriginal role models for 2008-2009. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada will present the award to the 12 role models on June 21, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at Rideau Hall in Ottawa,Ontario.

First nations take early steps towards better health

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:22:57 +0545

June 19, 2008 - Life at the Penticton Indian Band took a dramatic turn about four years ago after Dustin Joseph Paul killed three friends in an unprovoked drug-and-alcohol-fuelled shooting rampage.

Aboriginal Sport Circle announces the Aboriginal Athlete Support Fund

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:21:44 +0545

June 18, 2008 - The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Aboriginal Athlete Support Fund (AASF). The fund is designed to help Aboriginal athletes attend national or international sporting competitions. Funding for the program is a legacy of the highly successful 2002 North America Indigenous Games (NAIG) held in Winnipeg.

New Agreement Aims to Increase Economic and Social Well-being of Métis People

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:22:00 +0545

June 18, 2008 - The Government of Alberta and the Métis Nation of Alberta Association (MNAA) have signed a new seven-year agreement to work together towards enhancing the economic and community well-being of Alberta’s Métis people.

NAHO will announce 12 new National Aboriginal Role Models on June 21, 2008

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:23:29 +0545

June 17 , 2008 - The announcement of the 12 new 2008-2009 Aboriginal role models will take place on Saturday June 21, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. during an award ceremony with Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario.

$100,000 Expands CERAH’s End-of-Life Care Research in 12 First Nations Communities

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:22:56 +0545

June 17, 2008 - Lakehead University’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health (CERAH), in partnership with the Kenora Chiefs’ Advisory and the Fort Frances-based Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre, has received $100,000 from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) for a project entitled Improving End-of-Life Care for Aboriginal Elders with Cancer and other Chronic Diseases. The palliative care research project will involve 12 First Nations communities in the Treaty 3 area.

Hospital launches pilot program

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:21:20 +0545

Sudbury - A pilot project is underway that will see the Regional Cancer Program (RCP) of the Hôpital régional de Sudbury Regional Hospital (HRSRH) and the Aboriginal Cancer Care Unit (ACCU) of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) take the message of colorectal cancer prevention and screening directly to First Nations communities.

Is growing up in the care of the state any better for native children today?

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:20:35 +0545

June 13, 2008, VICTORIA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged this week that stripping aboriginal children of their culture by putting them in residential schools caused great harm.

Aboriginal leaders look to future after historic apology

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:19:42 +0545

June 11, 2008 - The federal government’s historic apology to former students of the residential school program must signal the start of a better relationship between aboriginal Canadians and the rest of the country, aboriginal leaders say.

Spinning word games through the Apologia Canadiana

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:17:54 +0545

June 12, 2008 - There are over 100 descendants of my grandmother Belva, my mother June and my older sisters Frances, Lynda, and Lillian. Indian residential schools impacted all these women’s lives. Some descendants made their way in the world. Our family has artists, social activists, professionals and business people. We also have members who are part of the casualty list found in Statistics Canada 2006 and in the National Aboriginal Youth Strategy(NAYS). So, we also have people in jail and poor people. Whether my relatives went to residential school and on-reserve schools, we all received an Indian Affairs education that tried to extinguish the Indian in us.

Harper apology leaves Labrador’s former students in cold: Innu, Inuit

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:03:52 +0545

June 12, 2008 - Labrador’s aboriginal people are accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of ignoring the pain and suffering they experienced at boarding schools.

NEARBC 2008-09 Award Recipients

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:04:28 +0545

We are pleased to publish the names of NEARBC 2008-09 Award Recipients. You can also view recipients bio and abstract details.

Final Report of the Wabauskang First Nations Indigenous Knowledge and Contaminants Program

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:12:29 +0545

June 9, 2008 - During the early 1960s to the late 1970s, the English-Wabigoon River system was severely contaminated with inorganic mercury, when Dryden Chemical Limited, a subsidiary of Reed Pulp and Paper dumped more than 40 000 pounds of mercury into the environment, which included the Wabigoon River at Drydeniii.

Stolen Children broadcast highlights

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:12:03 +0545

Here are planned broadcast dates and times for CBC Radio and CBC Television coverage of the Aboriginal Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Planned coverage includes News,Arts and public access.

Apology to spare no detail, Strahl says

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:11:39 +0545

June 10, 2008 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper will offer a lengthy and detailed apology tomorrow that will specifically acknowledge the mental, physical and sexual abuse suffered by aboriginal children at residential schools as a result of the decades-long federal policy.

Actor sees a way to break out of his people’s drama

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:10:51 +0545

June 10, 2008 - It would be easier to say he is just acting - but he isn’t. He is Adam Beach of the Dog Creek Reserve in Manitoba and of Hollywood, Calif., and his acting credentials are impressive: star in Windtalkers and Flags of Our Fathers, regular on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

A Plan to Expand UBC’s Pharmaceutical Services to Haida Gwaii

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:10:04 +0545

Jun 5, 2008 - Haida Gwaii, an archipelago of more than 150 islands off B.C.’s northern coast, is home to 5,400 residents, but only one pharmacist. Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Judith Soon and fellow researchers in UBC’s Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) group have a plan to change this by establishing a patient-centred pharmacy clinic.

The National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation Welcomes New Federal Funding For Aboriginal Addictions Services in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:08:21 +0545

June 8, 2008 - The National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation welcomes the government’s recent announcement of $2 million dedicated to helping First Nations and Inuit recover from addictions to alcohol and illicit drugs in Vancouver, in addition to the $10 million funding to be provided over five years to find treatment solutions for residents of Vancouver’s Downtown eastside.

Indigenous Historian Awarded UVic’s Newest CRC

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:07:48 +0545

June 10, 2008 - An historian who studies how settler societies have impacted Indigenous societies and how Indigenous nations can recover their traditional values is the University of Victoria’s newest Canada Research Chair.

MDs call for diabetes strategy as prevalence skyrockets

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 22:04:32 +0545

June 04, 2008 - The prevalence of diabetes in Canada has rocketed beyond all expectations, a national policy summit on the impact of diabetes complications heard yesterday.

Solving Pressing Public Health Problems: Close to $13 Million to Fund 14 New Research Chairs in Public Health

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 22:03:59 +0545

Ottawa, June 3, 2008 - Close to $13 million is being invested to fund 14 new Research Chairs on the topic of Public Health. The Chairs are funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Population and Public Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with the Centre de recherche en prévention de l‘obésité, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec (Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services).

Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission is Formally Established and Operational

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 22:03:32 +0545

OTTAWA, June 1, 2008 - Justice Harry S. LaForme, Chair of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and Commissioners Claudette Dumont-Smith and Jane Brewin Morley, Q.C. are pleased to announce that the TRC is officially established and will be fully operational on June 2, 2008.

Re-evaluation of blood mercury, lead and cadmium concentrations in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Quebec): a cross-sectional study

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 22:02:26 +0545

2 June 2008 - Arctic populations are exposed to mercury, lead and cadmium through their traditional diet. Studies have however shown that cadmium exposure is most often attributable to tobacco smoking. The aim of this study is to examine the trends in mercury, lead and cadmium exposure between 1992 and 2004 in the Inuit population of Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) using the data obtained from two broad scale health surveys, and to identify sources of exposure in 2004.

FNUniv graduates first Bachelor of Health Studies class

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 22:01:49 +0545

REGINA, June 02, 2008 - This year‘s spring convocation ceremonies at the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) will see its first graduates from the Bachelor of Health Studies (BHS) program.

Canada‘s Health Minister Announces $2 Million to Improve Addictions Services for Aboriginal People in Vancouver‘s Downtown Eastside

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 21:58:23 +0545

ONTARIO, May 29, 2008 - Today, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced $2 million to improve addictions services in Vancouver‘s downtown eastside that will help First Nations and Inuit recover from addictions to alcohol and illicit drugs.

Improving Health and Well-Being in Pikangikum First Nation

Thu, 29 May 2008 21:06:18 +0545

Toronto, May 27, 2008 - The residents of Pikangikum First Nation are building a new community centre with help from the Ontario government. The new building will house a community hall, gym, bakery, general store, Prenatal Nutrition and Healthy Babies office as well as other amenities that help improve the community‘s overall health and well-being.

Oilsand probes grow to 13

Thu, 29 May 2008 21:05:47 +0545

May 24, 2008 - The Alberta government finds itself knee-deep in more than a dozen oilsands-related investigations -- including leaks, regulatory breaches and potential health problems -- sparking further questions about the ecological costs to tap the resource.

New program ‘Honouring Our Spirit’ launched in Alberta

Thu, 29 May 2008 21:04:41 +0545

ALBERTA, May 26, 2008 - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) and Native Counselling Services of Alberta today launched Honouring Our Spirit, a new victim services program that informs First Nations and Métis individuals and communities on how they can reach out for support after losing a loved one to impaired driving.

Medical school gets $3 million; Funds for native health research chair

Thu, 29 May 2008 21:03:28 +0545

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine received $3 million to establish a chair to conduct research into health issues in the Aboriginal and rural communities of Northern Ontario and raise health awareness in remote communities.

Ontario Supports Health Research In The North

Thu, 29 May 2008 21:02:47 +0545

Toronto, May 23, 2008 - The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is teaming up with the province and the Heart and Stroke Foundation to improve the health of Aboriginal people and rural residents.

Opportunity Fund Gives Students Chance to ’Earn & Learn’

Thu, 22 May 2008 23:55:50 +0545

May 20, 2008 - With generous support from the federal and provincial governments and the private sector, The University of Winnipeg today launched the Opportunity Fund - an innovative student support program aimed at closing the "graduation gap" for hundreds of students traditionally under-represented at university.

Government of Canada Signs Historic First Nations Housing MOU

Thu, 22 May 2008 23:55:21 +0545

Vancouver, May 21, 2008 - The Government of Canada today signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Province of B.C. and the First Nations Leadership Council, agreeing to work together to develop a comprehensive approach to improve housing for First Nations communities, individuals and families both on and off reserve.

ANAC celebrates Nurses May 12-18, 2008

Wed, 21 May 2008 23:02:11 +0545

OTTAWA - National Nursing Week is an opportunity to celebrate a profession that makes enormous contributions to our health care system and to the lives of patients every day. It is during this time that our Aboriginal nurses should also be recognized for their contributions to health care.

Study on native drug users brings elder to tears

Wed, 21 May 2008 23:01:31 +0545

VANCOUVER, May 16, 2008 - A new public health study that looked at more than 500 young aboriginal drug users in two British Columbia cities produced such shocking data that people wept openly when it was first presented to a panel of elders.

Battle heats up over native tobacco trade

Wed, 21 May 2008 23:00:35 +0545

KAHNAWAKE, QUE, May 20, 2008 - It is a commercial strip unique in Canada. On a short stretch of highway crossing this Mohawk reserve, one smoke shack after another beckons with signs advertising the low price of $6 for a plastic baggie holding 200 cigarettes.

Award of Excellence in Nursing Ceremony

Fri, 16 May 2008 22:27:40 +0545

OTTAWA - May 16, 2008 - The sixth annual First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Award of Excellence in Nursing ceremony takes place on May 16 at the Government Conference Centre in Ottawa.

First Nations People Return to Their Traditional Diet to Combat Obesity and Diabetes

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:59:30 +0545

May 7, 2008 - On small Cormorant Island just off the coast of northeast Vancouver Island people of the Namgis tribe are turning to a modern equivalent of their traditional diet. As with many native populations consuming the Western diet rapidly puts the population at risk for diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The traditional diet of the Namgis consisted of liberal fat, fish, game, berries and a few edible grasses when available.

Knowing culture part of treating aboriginal patients: psychiatrist

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:16:56 +0545

May 14, 2008 - Psychiatrists seeing aboriginal patients need to consider social, cultural, traditional and historical factors when diagnosing them, Australia's only aboriginal psychiatrist told a Saskatoon conference Tuesday.

Health Canada grants $120K for treatment centre at Yellow Quill First Nation

Wed, 14 May 2008 23:42:34 +0545

May 12, 2008 - A working group made up of three Saulteaux First Nations is set to begin planning a treatment centre for Yellow Quill, in response to the freezing deaths of two young girls.

Canadians need to hear stories of residential schools

Wed, 14 May 2008 23:38:10 +0545

May 13, 2008 - Robert Joseph was six years old when he was taken from his home more than 60 years ago and sent to a residential school in Alert Bay. After 10 years at the school, he told the Vancouver Sun, he "staggered out of St. Mike's already a full-blown alcoholic."

2006 Census: Earnings, income and shelter costs

Fri, 9 May 2008 03:07:06 +0545

May 1, 2008 - Today Statistics Canada released detailed analysis of data from the 2006 Census on income and earnings and shelter costs.

B.C. auditor criticizes switch to native agencies

Thu, 8 May 2008 22:50:36 +0545

VICTORIA, May 7, 2008 - A new report by British Columbia’s Auditor-General questions the viability of the province’s move to shift the delivery of child protection services for aboriginal children from provincial to native agencies.

Health Research Touching Lives

Thu, 8 May 2008 22:49:29 +0545

OTTAWA, May 7, 2008 - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health announced today funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for 764 health research projects across Canada, totalling over $298 million. Minister Clement was joined by Dr. Patrick McGrath, a member of CIHR’s Governing Council, Dr. Po-Yin Cheung, a neonatologist and CIHR-funded researcher from the University of Alberta, and Luis and Oksana Delgado from Edmonton, whose 22 month old son Adrian received medical care from Dr. Cheung when he suffered low oxygen and its complications at birth. Using state-of-the-art resources and knowledge from his research, Dr. Cheung and his health-care team helped Adrian make a full recovery.

Ottawa’s $300M fund to help First Nations buy on-reserve homes

Thu, 8 May 2008 22:48:53 +0545

May 5, 2008 - The federal government launched a $300-million housing fund Monday aimed at helping First Nations people buy their own homes on reserves.

Scientists accuse Tories of ’despicable’ interference

Thu, 8 May 2008 22:48:01 +0545

May 2, 2008 - The federal government committed a "serious breach of international scientific standards" in its handling of Vancouver’s safe injection site, according to a new study.

NEARBC is pleased to welcome Dinara Kurbanova to our team!

Tue, 6 May 2008 08:06:54 +0545

NEARBC is pleased to welcome Dinara Kurbanova to our team! Dinara has been hired as our part-time Communications Coordinator. Some of Dinara’s responsibilities include the preparation and distribution of the NEARBC e-news, as well as managing general enquiries from our members. Dinara is a medical doctor from Kazakhstan.

Mental Health Commission of Canada Outlines Startling Statistics at Public Forum on Homelessness & Mental Illness

Thu, 1 May 2008 23:15:32 +0545

VANCOUVER, April 28 - The statistics are disturbing, but there is hope. That was the message from the Honourable Michael Kirby, Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, as he delivered the keynote address at the Collaboration for Change forum in Vancouver today.

Med school costs discourage applicants: Study

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:47:26 +0545

April 28 - Canada needs more physicians to serve rural and aboriginal communities, but the prospect of medical school debts may be discouraging promising students from those regions - who might eventually return home to practise - from even applying to med school, doctors-in-training say.

B.C. Metis receive $450,000 grant

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:46:52 +0545

Vancouver, April 25 - B.C.’s Metis Nation have received a grant of $450,000 from the provincial government to help improve health, housing, education and economic development, Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister Michael de Jong said Thursday in a press release.

Health region signs deal to help First Nations with system

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:45:47 +0545

Saskatoon, April 25 - An agreement signed Thursday by the Saskatoon Health Region could lead to more ceremony rooms for First Nations people to use at hospitals, or guides to help aboriginal people navigate the complex health system.

Kaiser Foundation Recognize 2008 National Awards for Excellence Winners

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:43:26 +0545

CALGARY, April 25 /CNW - The Kaiser Foundation has honoured seven outstanding Canadians and organizations selected for this year’s National Awards for Excellence (NAE) in the fields of mental health and addictions.

Positive Living North West Society to transition operations; essential services to remain in place for those who need them

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:13:16 +0545

People living with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C in the Bulkley Valley will continue to have access to essential services during a transition in operations at Positive Living North West Society (PLNW). PLNW will be transferring administration of its local services to Positive Living North (PLN), based in Prince George, over the next several months.

Feds target smoking, Aboriginal health

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:12:51 +0545

The federal government has unveiled about $1 million to help deal with smoking issues and aboriginal health matters.

Study probes First Nations risks from seafood toxins

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:12:19 +0545

Vancouver Island First Nations eat an average 60 kilograms of seafood each year, or 15 times the amount of the average Canadian. It’s a valuable finding from a new study that will help local researchers determine safe consumption levels based on contaminants found in seafood.

Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia sounds alarm over toxins

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:10:13 +0545

Members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ont., think their reserve, which recorded the lowest rate of live male births in the world (two girls born for every boy) and high rates of death, miscarriage and disease, is beyond the saturation point for exposure to pollutants, and the community is making a public plea for action.

Aboriginal leaders outraged over child youth report

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:05:57 +0545

April 17, 2008 - First Nations leaders are outraged over a report that says the Ministry of Children and Families failed to learn from numerous child deaths in northern B.C., including those of three aboriginal children.

National Inuit Education Summit: Foundation and Inuit Partner on Strategy for Progress

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:58:58 +0545

INUVIK, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, April 15, 2008 - The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce its partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) on the first ever National Inuit Education Summit, which will bring together Inuit leaders from April 15 to 17 in Inuvik to discuss the barriers and challenges to Inuit education, as well as a strategy for progress.

Inuit health office to open in Ottawa: Clement

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:01:10 +0545

Federal Health Minister Tony Clement has announced a new Inuit office in Ottawa that will focus on addressing the unique health challenges Inuit face across the country, from epidemics to health-care access in remote communities.

$330M will fund improvements to drinking water on First Nations

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:00:44 +0545

REGINA -- The federal government is investing $330 million over the next two years to improve the drinking water on First Nations.

UPEI launches aboriginal student study

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:00:21 +0545

The University of Prince Edward Island is leading a study on what universities can do to help native students have a better campus experience.

Ancient language links Old World, First Nations

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:35:57 +0545

A U.S. researcher studying an ancient language now spoken by only a few hundred people in a remote corner of Siberia has found the first-ever linguistic link between the Old World and any First Nation in Canada.

Experts to discuss ’iceman’ at UVic

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:35:20 +0545

VANCOUVER -- Scientists from around the world who have been studying the centuries-old human remains that melted out of a glacier in northwestern British Columbia in 1999 will gather for the first time in Victoria later this month to talk about what they’ve learned from the unnamed "iceman."

Finding a home for bones of ancestors

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:34:54 +0545

A tangled tale of land, dollars and human remains is unfolding in North Saanich, where Tseycum First Nation is running out of space to bury the bones of its ancestors.

April is National Cancer Month

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:34:22 +0545

Discusses colorectal cancer and cancer prevention activities in the Aboriginal population in Ontario. Includes first person accounts of healthy living in the traditional Aboriginal lifestyle. Introduces the Tobacco wise program. Link requires PDF reader.

Aboriginal health researcher garners national award

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:33:22 +0545

Apr 3, 2008 - Dr. Jeff Reading, Mohawk Tyendinaga, scientific director of the UVic-based Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health, has received the 2008 National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the field of health.

NAHO to Launch Major Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:28:27 +0545

Apr 8 , 2008, OTTAWA,ON - The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), along with Health Minister Tony Clement, will announce the launch of a new initiative to combat suicide among Aboriginal youth. Read News Release.

2006 Census Aboriginal ancestry data released

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 23:29:45 +0545

Today, April 2, 2008, Statistics Canada released 2006 Census data on Aboriginal ancestry. Aboriginal ancestry data are available by province, territory, sub-provincial geographies (census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and area of residence) and selected characteristics.

Male birth dearth persists on Ontario reserve

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:47:31 +0545

Mar 27, 2008 - A small native community living in the shadows of Sarnia’s chemical valley has had an unusual distinction: Researchers believe it has one of the most skewed sex ratios in the world.

"Not all bugs need drugs," Vinnie the Virus says

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:45:52 +0545

Mar 28, 2008 - Public health officials in Nunavut are trying to clear something up: just because you’re sick, it doesn’t mean you need to take antibiotic drugs.

Diabetes: how the sweet life can be deadly

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:45:21 +0545

Mar 28, 2008 - Too much sugar can kill you, warns former Nunavut Commissioner Peter Irniq, who learned recently he has diabetes.

Role Model Named Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:44:22 +0545

OTTAWA, ON -- The National Aboriginal Health Organization congratulates Alika Lafontaine on being named Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister on the CBC reality - TV competition.

College pitches plan to B.C. ministers

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:44:00 +0545

NORTHWEST COMMUNITY College president Stephanie Forsyth was in Victoria yesterday in part to present its concept for an aboriginal health, wellness, sport and recreation education centre it wants to open in the never-opened Mountainview Elementary School building.

New HIV clinic a SHARP idea

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:43:23 +0545

SASKATOON -- A new clinic offering diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases, along with a menu of related services, is set to open in Saskatoon’s inner city.

Roasted partridge coming up

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:43:03 +0545

April 1, 2008 - Hospital food has traditionally gets a bad rap from food critics and the public, but a new era in institutional cuisine beginning this fall may force them to change their thinking.

A place to heal

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:53:33 +0545

ABBOTSFORD, BC, Mar 18, 2008 - B.C. leaders and community partners gathered together yesterday to celebrate the grand opening of Abbotsford’s Spirit Bear Centre, the first of its kind in the country.

First Nations Health Managers search for solutions at National Forum

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:53:00 +0545

EDMONTON, Mar 19, 2008 - Today at a National Forum for First Nations Health Managers, held at the Edmonton Marriott River Cree Resort, First Nations Health Managers will look for ways to create professional development opportunities, to recruit and retain quality employees and overcome issues like staff recruitment, retention and compensation.

Jobs will reduce suicide rates on reserves, chief says

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:52:14 +0545

With swagger and a shoot-from-the-lip sense of humour, Chief Clarence Louie won over a crowd of corporate leaders yesterday with his simple prescription for the problems facing Canada’s aboriginals - jobs.

Young aboriginal role model to be honoured

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:51:38 +0545

Alberta Aboriginal Youth Achievement awards 2008 When: Friday at 7 p.m. Where: Winspear Centre Tickets: Free, at Winspear box office, by phone at 428-1414, or online at www.winspearcentre.com

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:50:59 +0545

Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 10:00pm PBS will launch their national broadcast of The Ford Foundation and National Minority Consortia funded documentary series.

Minister Clement Announces Appointment of President to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:50:07 +0545

he Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, today announced the appointment of Dr. Alain Beaudet as President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), effective July 1, 2008.

Federal funding for aboriginal housing, education `woefully inadequate’: Ontario

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:48:56 +0545

Ottawa is "woefully" underfunding First Nations communities when it comes to housing, health care and education, and provinces aren’t rich enough to pick up the slack, Ontario’s aboriginal affairs minister said Wednesday.

Aboriginal perspective brought to health careers

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:45:14 +0545

Alika Lafontaine’s parents were told their son would never graduate high school because he was developmentally delayed.

SFU seeks to double number of native students

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:45:00 +0545

Simon Fraser University is beginning to implement a bold new plan for aboriginal education in the hope of recruiting a larger native student population and better fostering their academic and professional success.

The town that lost 1,200 pounds

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:44:39 +0545

His town was shrinking, and Greg Wadhams was determined to shrink with it. So on a cold December night in 2006, the 55-year-old commercial fisherman sat down to say goodbye to the past.

Native youth centre opens

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:44:08 +0545

A centre aimed at helping B.C.’s native youth overcome addiction and childhood trauma was officially launched Friday -- on land donated by the province, and with $3 million in provincial funding.

Media Advisory - First Nations Health Managers Award of Excellence Winners to be handed out at 7:15 pm March 18th, 2008

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:43:08 +0545

For the first time an Award of Excellence will be presented to First Nations Health Managers who have made a difference in their community through their hard work and dedication. First Nations Health Managers are frontline workers who manage staff, health programs and policy in First Nations communities. Winners were nominated by their peers and selected by the National First Nations Health Managers Advisory Committee.

NAHO Fosters Dialogue on Health Impacts of Resource Extraction in the North

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:41:22 +0545

OTTAWA, ON - Participants at a roundtable on the health effects of resource extraction in the North are calling for more research to look into the impacts that such development has on the well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

Following the UN on aboriginal education

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:05:26 +0545

In September 2007 the United Nations General Assembly passed an important Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration recognized that education systems involving Indigenous populations should embrace Indigenous knowledge, languages and cultures as part of their education. It further states that "Indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all levels and forms of education of the state without discrimination." It further provides that governments should take effective measures for Indigenous children to have access to education within their own culture whenever possible, including when living outside their communities.

Northern native youth launch 500-km walk to Winnipeg

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:28:18 +0545

Teenagers from a group of remote reserves in northern Manitoba have launched a two-week trek to the province’s capital to call attention to social problems in their communities.

’It was just such an epiphany for us’

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:27:46 +0545

WINNIPEG -- The first day of school lineups at Children of the Earth aboriginal high school are legendary: Every September, more than 100 prospective students have to be turned away because classes are already full.

Alarm bells sound over threat of mercury contamination

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:27:14 +0545

A coalition of environmental groups, First Nations and academics are demanding that the province investigate the threat of mercury contamination from industrial activities in the Boreal Forest.

National Nutrition Month - March 2008

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:26:41 +0545

National Nutrition Month celebrates healthy eating and the important role nutrition plays in keeping us happy and healthy. This year’s campaign encourages you to eat healthier, be more active, and feel great.

West Coast aboriginal community tests low-carb diet

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:26:16 +0545

A remote community off the north coast of Vancouver Island is the unlikely venue for an experiment that uses diet to try to improve the health of native communities.

Dialogue key to identifying health issues: Draude

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 00:10:47 +0545

REGINA -- The government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the overall health and quality of life of First Nations and Métis people in Saskatchewan over the next seven years, Indian and Métis Relations Minister June Draude said Thursday.

Bird flu scare prompts Nunavik pandemic plan

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 00:10:18 +0545

KUUJJUAQ - If a pandemic flu hits Quebec, airline passengers won’t be able to freely travel between Nunavik and the South for three months or longer.

HIV/AIDS conference called a success

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:38:08 +0545

An aboriginal HIV/AIDS and HCV (hepatitis C) conference was held in Prince Albert this week and it is being hailed as a success.

HIV/AIDS campaign underway

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:37:52 +0545

First Nations people are taking matters into their own hands to try and stem the epidemic of HIV-AIDS disease sweeping through their communities.

Arthritis hits First Nations hard

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:37:24 +0545

Severe forms of arthritis are five times more common among aboriginal people than among the rest of Canada’s population.

Unemployment rates for aboriginals dropping faster than for non-aboriginals

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:36:55 +0545

OTTAWA - Canada’s aboriginal people remain more than twice as likely to be unemployed as non-aboriginal people, Statistics Canada said Tuesday in its 2006 census release on the country’s labour force.

Feds target smoking, Aboriginal health issues

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:47:45 +0545

The federal government has unveiled about $1 million to help deal with smoking issues and aboriginal health matters.

Graphic list of abuse to settle claims

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:47:08 +0545

EDMONTON - It’s a scorecard ranking unspeakable acts. From sodomy to severe beatings causing disfigurement to persistent fondling - the list is graphic and disturbingly thorough.

New HIV-AIDS program targets aboriginals

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:44:38 +0545

A new program debuted Monday in Prince George to reduce the number of HIV-AIDS cases and sexually transmitted infections in B.C.’s aboriginal community.

One-third of Nunavut health jobs vacant, MLAs told

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:44:12 +0545

Nunavut’s Health and Social Services Department is struggling to find health workers to fill numerous job vacancies, MLAs in the legislative assembly learned Monday.

Prince George aboriginal school would be a first for B.C.

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:43:55 +0545

In what would be a first for British Columbia, school trustees in Prince George are being advised to open a separate elementary school for aboriginal students.

Aboriginal youth start condom petition

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:04:19 +0545

A petition to install condom vending machines in junior and senior high schools has been launched by an aboriginal youth group on P.E.I.

Poor kids more prone to obesity than middle-class kids: study

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:03:08 +0545

Children living in Canada’s poorest neighbourhoods gained more weight over an eight-year period than those living in middle-income areas, a new study suggests.

Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:01:48 +0545

That today we honor the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history. We reflect on their past mistreatment. We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations-this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.

ACE unveils burden of disease placed on Aboriginal Canadians

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:01:20 +0545

Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) today called attention to the growing crisis of arthritis in Canada’s aboriginal communities.

Health workers ’not alone’ helping aboriginal communities face sex issues

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:00:15 +0545

Organizers of a sexual health conference held this week in Inuvik, N.W.T., say they hope front-line health workers can leave the event knowing they have the resources to tackle sex issues in aboriginal and Inuit communities.

NEW UNIT TO ENHANCE POLICING FOR FIRST NATIONS

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:02:53 +0545

NORTH VANCOUVER - A new integrated Aboriginal policing unit will deliver an enhanced, community-focused policing service to the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, Solicitor General John Les announced today during a signing ceremony with the partners in the agreement.

Yellow Quill tragedy a call to action

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:02:27 +0545

The tragic deaths of two First Nations children on the Yellow Quill First Nations, three-year-old Kaydance Pauchay, and her one-year-old sister, Santana, have generated calls for change that require our collective respect and action.

New $8 million initiative to support practice-relevant nursing research

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:43:23 +0545

A new research initiative focused on the role of nurses in BC’s health system has been launched with $8 million of funding from the Ministry of Health and the support of the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR). The Nursing Research Initiative (NRI) recognizes the pivotal position of nurses within the health care system and is designed to support practice relevant research.

Medical team targeting stomach cancer in North

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:40:53 +0545

Feb. 11, 2008 - A NWT hamlet is the testing ground for innovative treatment of a disease that is twice as common in Arctic natives.

Superbug threat growing in Vancouver: study

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:40:33 +0545

The percentage of injection-drug users from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood found to be carrying a worrisome superbug jumped 150 per cent from 2000 to 2006, a study reveals.

Saskatchewan First Nation plans to offer MRIs

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:35:48 +0545

A Saskatchewan First Nation is shaking up the province’s health-care system with plans to build a $10-million health centre in Regina that will be able to do MRI tests.

Message from Dr. Jeff Reading about IAPH’s Transition

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:33:26 +0545

Over the past seven years, I have had the honour and privilege to be part of a significant movement in research - the creation of CIHR and its 13 research Institutes. As the inaugural Scientific Director for the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health (IAPH), my primary goal has always been to understand why the profound gap in health status still exists for Aboriginal people in this modern era. But that in and of itself is not enough. Transforming information that solves the complex problems so that Aboriginal people in Canada and around the world can enjoy an increased health status and an improved quality of life has always been the collective vision.

Aboriginal people the most at risk of obesity: study

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 14:12:29 +0545

In the past 25 years the rates of people who are overweight or suffering from obesity has reached epidemic levels and aboriginal people are more most at risk, according to Statistics Canada.

Diabetes clinical trial halted following high death rate

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 14:12:13 +0545

Organizers of a large clinical trial aimed at reducing the heart disease risk of people with Type 2 diabetes announced Wednesday they ended one arm of the study early after seeing an unexpectedly higher rate of deaths in people being aggressively treated for their diabetes.

Message from Dr. Pierre Chartrand, CIHR Acting President, about IAPH’s Transition

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 14:11:35 +0545

At the end of December 2008, Dr. Jeff Reading, founding Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health (IAPH) will conclude his term. Dr. Reading has a well-earned reputation for his commitment to and enthusiasm for research, his collegial and inclusive approach, as well as his passion for Aboriginal issues.

Our strange indifference to aboriginal addiction

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 18:47:48 +0545

Marlene, a 46-year old native woman, sat in my office last week, slumped on her chair, blinking away her tears. I’d just shared the news that her most recent blood test confirmed she had "seroconverted" to HIV, become infected with the AIDS virus. Although an injection drug user, Marlene had always been careful to use clean needles. Her route of infection was sexual contact - with the resigned naiveté characteristic of so many aboriginal women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, she had trusted a man, himself a drug addict, who assured her that he was a safe partner.

HIV rate soars among Vancouver’s native drug users

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 18:39:48 +0545

Startling new research reveals that aboriginal drug users living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside are contracting HIV-AIDS at twice the rate of non-aboriginal users.

Sask. reserve where 2 sisters died tried to ban alcohol: chief

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 10:56:01 +0545

A Saskatchewan First Nation reeling from the deaths of a baby and her three-year-old sister, who were left outside in the bitter cold, was trying to declare itself a dry community, the reserve’s chief said Thursday.

Inuit elder tells panel of traumatic childhood journey

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 10:54:45 +0545

CAPE DORSET, NUNAVUT -- When Qupirrualuk Padluq was 11, she was put on a boat filled with Inuit sick with tuberculosis and shipped south.

N.W.T. research suggests Inuit genetic link to respiratory infections

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 10:54:20 +0545

Research by health officials in the Northwest Territories is raising questions about a possible genetic link between Inuit babies and respiratory infections.

Aboriginal nursing funding

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:02:35 +0545

Aboriginal students in the Okanagan-Shuswap are getting some educational funding.

$2.4M HELPS SUPPORT ABORIGINAL STUDENTS ON 6 CAMPUSES

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:56:05 +0545

VICTORIA - Six public post-secondary institutions are receiving $2.4 million from the Province for gathering places that will support the growing number of Aboriginal students on campus and reflect their unique cultures, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell said today.

Breast size may indicate diabetes risk: study

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:55:15 +0545

Young women with larger breasts may be at a higher risk of diabetes in adulthood, a Canadian study suggests.

Parliamentary Secretary Fletcher announces more than $15 million for the creation of an Aboriginal Health Research Network

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:40:01 +0545

Today the Government of Canada announced an investment of $15.8 million over three years through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to create the Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR). The announcement was made at the University of Manitoba by Steven Fletcher, MP for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia and Parliamentary Secretary for Health, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health.

Suicide rate in Hazeltons alarming: Northern Health

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:39:40 +0545

Recent suicides and suicide attempts in the community of Hazelton is of major concern to Northern Health.

Higher obesity rates found in off-reserve aboriginal people: study

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:39:16 +0545

Aboriginal people living off-reserve are two and a half times more likely to be overweight than non-aboriginal people, according to Statistics Canada.

Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:07:58 +0545

Statistics Canada today releases the first analysis of data on Aboriginal peoples from the 2006 Census. This analysis is available today in an online document entitled Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census.

Minister Clement Announces Initiatives to Improve the Health of Inuit at the First-ever Inuit Health Summit in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:07:33 +0545

KUUJJUAQ, QC - The Honourable Tony Clement, Federal Minister of Health, today delivered remarks at the first-ever Inuit Health Summit held in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, Québec, and announced new project initiatives that will improve the health of Canada’s Inuit, as well as support for an Inuit-specific Mental Wellness Team, and an Office of Inuit Health.

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REPORTS SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN IMPROVING FIRST NATION WATER QUALITY - in less than two years, Government reduces the number of high-risk First Nation water systems by over half.

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:06:51 +0545

The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, today released a progress report on the Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nations Communities, outlining improvements made in water quality on reserves across Canada.

High suicide rate persists in Nunavut: coroner

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:06:15 +0545

Suicide continued to be a major social ill for Nunavut in 2007, the territory’s chief coroner says.

Native education a key to future

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:35:38 +0545

Sometimes the juxtaposition of news reports on the problems we face suggest obvious common sense solutions. Take four news reports in the last week. The first confirmed the terrible literacy problems in the aboriginal community. A Statistics Canada report found only 30 per cent of off-reserve natives in Saskatchewan had the literacy levels needed to "successfully cope in a complex knowledge- and information-based society." That’s half the non-aboriginal rate.

B.C. keeps native education on national agenda

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:12:22 +0545

OTTAWA -- He doesn’t mention the phrase "Kelowna accord" much any more, but B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell continues to press his aboriginal agenda on the national stage.

54% of aboriginals live in urban areas

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:11:53 +0545

OTTAWA -- More than half of Canada’s aboriginal population now has a postal code that falls in an urban centre.

Aboriginal numbers soar, census shows

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:11:18 +0545

Canada’s aboriginal population has increased 45 per cent over a decade and cracked the one-million mark for the first time since records have been kept, new census data indicate.

Inuit suicide linked to modernization

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:23:17 +0545

New research comparing suicide trends in different Arctic regions offers fresh insight into the roots of a social dysfunction that snuffs out the lives of dozens of young Inuit every year -- and suggests there is hope for a turnaround.

Add child advocate to Yukon Children’s Act, critics suggest

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:22:32 +0545

The Yukon’s proposed new version of its Children’s Act has been met with tempered optimism by critics, who suggested adding a child advocate position to the long-awaited legislation.

Program to help native children in foster care a lifetime in the making for elder

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:47:00 +0545

VICTORIA -- Robert Nye has been an urban aboriginal for most of his life, far from the remote Cortes Island community where he started. As a child, he bounced around through different homes. He dropped out of school. He became an alcoholic at a young age. But one constant in his life was the grandmother who instilled in him a sense of place.

Death’s doorstep

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:46:23 +0545

HAZELTON, B.C. - Death has hovered close to Jezabel Turley for several years now. When she was 13, her father held a gun to his head and tried to force his young daughter to pull the trigger, drunkenly pleading with her to kill him.

HEALTH: Native Youth Suicides in Canada Reach Crisis Rate

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:40:55 +0545

VANCOUVER - Suicide rates are now five to seven times higher for First Nations youth than for non-aboriginal youth, according to Health Canada, and among Inuit youth, suicide rates are 11 times the national average. Some aboriginal bands have suicide rates over 800 times the national average.

Health society receives money

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:39:47 +0545

Tla’Amin Community Health Board Society has received funding from the provincial government. The funding is part of BC’s aboriginal nursing strategies, a province-wide initiative to improve opportunities for aboriginal nursing.

A small push takes some children a long way in the classroom

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:39:05 +0545

VICTORIA -- Sometimes the gentlest nudge in the right place can make all the difference. Shelly Johnson knows this. Among 52 first cousins, she alone beat the odds and completed a postsecondary degree.

Canadian aboriginals come out on top in study

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:38:18 +0545

Canadian aboriginals may lag behind the rest of the country in health, income and education, but new research suggests they’re doing better than their counterparts in some other countries.

Ontario turns over Ipperwash park to First Nation

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:37:45 +0545

Ontario turned over Ipperwash Provincial Park to a First Nation on Thursday, settling a long-standing aboriginal grievance in the province.

Hopes high for new era in native education

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 19:27:25 +0545

If you look closely at any negative indicator in B.C.’s public-school system, such as the high-school dropout rate, chances are that a First Nations group will be at or near the top.

Recipients Announced for 15th Annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:37:49 -0800

Dr. Jeff Reading, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Aboriginal People’s Health (CIHR-IAPH), will receive an award in the Health category at the 2008 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. Dr. Reading has published extensively in the world’s health literature, covering areas from cardiovascular physiology, diabetes research, tobacco misuse, and health research capacity building. Perhaps one of his more notable achievements, Dr. Reading was instrumental in the development of the network of Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environments (ACADRE) centres across Canada, dedicated to conducting and advancing capacity in Aboriginal health research. The event will take place on March 7, 2008 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, taped live, to to be televised on both the Global and APTN television networks.

New program aims to lower suicide attempts in northern B.C.

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:37:09 -0800

(CBC News): A new suicide awareness team that has representatives from 15 aboriginal communities in northern British Columbia has been created to address youth suicide in the region.

Native Youth Suicides in Canada Reach Crisis Rate

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:36:11 -0800

(IPS): VANCOUVER - Suicide rates are now five to seven times higher for First Nations youth than for non-aboriginal youth, according to Health Canada, and among Inuit youth, suicide rates are 11 times the national average. Some aboriginal bands have suicide rates over 800 times the national average.

Keeping track of their health

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:35:26 -0800

(Chilliwack Times): Chehalis Health and Family Services has received $41,471 as part of the government’s Aboriginal Nursing Strategies, the province announced Dec. 5.

Grad Rates Still Low For Native Students

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:34:32 -0800

(westcoaster.ca): Aboriginal students in School District 70 graduate at half the rate non-aboriginal students over a six-year period. While the numbers are shocking, one district employee says people should give new initiatives time.

Improving the lives of aboriginals will reap dividends for everyone

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:57:47 -0800

(The Vancouver Sun): The poverty gap between aboriginal and other Canadians has been a national embarrassment for years.

Researcher examines First Nation diabetes

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:57:12 -0800

(Prince Albert Daily Herald): Paul Hackett has just launched a two-year examination of the history of diabetes in Manitoba and Saskatchewan First Nations.

A more educated Aboriginal population would produce bonus for Canadian economy

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:56:17 -0800

(CNW Telbec): OTTAWA - If Aboriginal youth graduated from high school and university in numbers comparable to other Canadian youth, the additional value for Canada's economy could be counted in the tens of billions of dollars.

2007 Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week (AAAW)

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:48:11 -0800

Your voice can bring down the levels of stigma and discrimination that keep people from stepping forward for help.

Suicide rate crippling B.C. native communities, doctor warns

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:47:06 -0800

(Globe and Mail): VANCOUVER - A suicide epidemic is sweeping through native communities in northwestern British Columbia, and few people have a closer view of it than George Deagle, a small-town physician who deals with at least one threat on each shift.

Aboriginals feel pain of AIDS

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:46:28 -0800

Never before has AIDS Awareness Week carried greater meaning in northern B.C., where recent data indicates a disturbing trend in the aboriginal community.

(CBC News): B.C. community pleads for help to halt suicide ’epidemic’

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:45:40 -0800

Community leaders in Hazelton, B.C., are calling for help after a recent rash of suicide attempts by aboriginal youths.

Launching of a Blueprint to address the health and social services problems

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:42:57 -0800

(CNW Telbec): MONTREAL - Faced with serious health problems as well as living conditions that are vastly inferior to that of the Quebec population in general, the Quebec First Nations decided to take the bull by the horns and to attack in unison the numerous challenges to be met in terms of health and social conditions in the communities.

Canada failing to protect its children, UN report says

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:41:20 -0800

(CanWest): Canada is failing to protect the rights of its children in several key areas, according to a new report that marks the 18th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Helping her community, one member at a time

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:40:36 -0800

(Globe and Mail): VANCOUVER - Grace Elliott-Nielsen pauses in the midst of a busy day to consider the famous people she has met over the years. "John Denver, he was very special," she says of the late American singer. "Very genuine."

UN slashes AIDS estimates in latest report

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:39:34 -0800

(Globe and Mail): WASHINGTON - The United Nations has slashed its estimates of how many people are infected with the AIDS virus, from nearly 40 million to 33 million.

New Edmonton diabetes institute houses world’s top researchers

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:07:17 -0800

(CBC News): Canada’s largest diabetes research centre opened in Edmonton Wednesday, bringing the world’s leading researchers under one roof to find new ways of preventing, treating and ultimately curing the disease.

FDA adds heart attack warning to diabetes drug Avandia

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:06:34 -0800

(CBC News): The U.S. government slapped a prominent, though confusing, warning on the popular diabetes drug Avandia on Wednesday - telling patients that it may, or may not, increase the risk of heart attacks.

Take action on TB

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:05:46 -0800

(Regina Leader-Post): Another study, another invitation to inertia. The plague of tuberculosis in Canada’s First Nations communities has been studied to death.

Government of Canada Moves to Deliver Human Rights Protection for Aboriginal Canadians, Again

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:03:12 -0800

(Indian and Northern Affairs Canada): The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians, today reinstated legislation to repeal section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Dissatisfied Nunavut MLAs call for health minister’s resignation

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:55:28 -0800

(CBC News): Two Nunavut MLAs are calling on Health and Social Services Minister Leona Aglukkaq to step down, saying they’ve lost confidence in her.

Study points to gene as cause of Type 1 diabetes

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:11:31 -0800

(CBC News) U.S. researchers say they have identified a gene that appears to cause the more serious type of diabetes.

Program to boost aboriginal graduate numbers

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:10:28 -0800

(Globe and Mail) University and aboriginal leaders will gather in Winnipeg today to kick-start an ambitious plan to boost the number of native graduates from Canadian campuses.

Health Canada: First Nations Communities Selected to Host Patient Wait Time Guarantees Pilot Projects

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:09:29 -0800

(Health Canada) OTTAWA, ON - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, today announced the selection of First Nations communities that will undertake pilot projects designed to test Patient Wait Time Guarantees for prenatal care and diabetes.

Canada, U.S. to continue mutual efforts to improve Natives’ health

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:08:43 -0800

(Anchorage Daily News) WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. and Canadian health officials signed a memorandum Thursday agreeing to continue working together to improve the health of indigenous peoples in the two countries.

Paul Martin Interview

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:06:55 -0800

(CBC News, Audio): He’s a former Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and a shipping magnate who has never escaped scrutiny during his time in the public eye. Now Paul Martin is heading in different directions. He’s started a program to help young aboriginals complete high school; he’s working on development projects in Africa; and he’s busy pushing for the reform of the G-8 to better represent the world's population. Shelagh Rogers sits down with the former PM to talk about life post-Sussex Drive.

Toronto’s diabetics clustered in lower-income north, east areas: report

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 08:48:24 -0800

Torontonians are more likely to have diabetes if they live in the northwest or east ends of the city, have lower incomes or have recently immigrated to Canada, a new study finds.

Government of Canada Renews Memorandum of Understanding on Indigenous Health with the United States of America

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 08:47:13 -0800

(Marketwire): WASHINGTON, DC - The Honourable Tony Clement, Federal Minister of Health and Secretary of Health, Mike Leavitt, of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, today renewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Indigenous Health at a signing ceremony in Washington, DC. The renewal of the MOU affirms the commitment of Canada and the United States to continue working over the next five years to improve the health status of their respective Indigenous populations.

Canada’s First Nations should benefit from Global Tobacco Treaty

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 08:48:57 -0800

"The Canadian government has abandoned tobacco control in First Nations communities," asserted Atul Kapur, President of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada.

Prime Minister Harper outlines the government’s achievements for Aboriginal Canadians

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 08:37:38 -0800

In an address to the annual general assembly of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) today, Prime Minister Stephen Harper outlined the Government's actions for Canadians of native ancestry. The Prime Minister noted that Canada’s rapidly growing Aboriginal population increasingly lives off-reserve in urban communities.

’Proud’ Inuit youth hail prohibition plebiscite

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:45:28 -0700

(Globe and Mail): The youth of Kugluktuk learned yesterday they had won a determined campaign to curb the rampant alcohol abuse of their parents and relatives in their remote Arctic village.

Consumer worries spur new product-recall database

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:46:02 -0700

(CBC News): Health Minister Tony Clement unveiled a new website on Wednesday combining food and children’s product recalls, with the aim of informing concerned consumers about potential safety problems.

Kugluktuk votes for alcohol committee

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:46:41 -0700

(CBC News): Residents in the Nunavut hamlet of Kugluktuk voted Monday to change the way alcohol is dealt with in their community.

New Iqaluit hospital officially opens

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:47:14 -0700

(CBC News): Nunavut leaders celebrated the opening of Iqaluit’s new hospital Friday, but the territory’s health minister warned that it will face challenges recruiting nurses and other medical staff for the facility.

Project tackles high amputation rates for aboriginal diabetics

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:52:28 -0700

(CBC News): Health officials are working to determine why aboriginal diabetics in Manitoba are much more likely to have a limb amputated than other people with the disease.

Band intends to develop farmland, chief says

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:31:36 -0700

(Globe and Mail): VICTORIA - The Tsawwassen First Nation’s first land-use plan, expected to be completed next spring, should lay the groundwork to develop farmland adjacent to the Roberts Bank container terminal, Chief Kim Baird said yesterday.

First urban treaty signed

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:30:38 -0700

(The Province): VICTORIA - B.C.’s first urban native treaty was introduced to the legislature yesterday as the flag of the Tsawwassen First Nation flew over the house and a couple of hundred aboriginals protested outside.

Diabetes drug Byetta linked to acute pancreatitis

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:29:21 -0700

(Globe and Mail): WASHINGTON - U.S. health officials warned doctors and patients on Tuesday that Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc’s and Eli Lilly and Co’s diabetes drug Byetta may be linked to acute pancreatitis in some patients.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria spreading in cramped conditions

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:28:44 -0700

(Northern News Services): NUNAVUT - The start of 2007 brought with it a skin infection previously unseen in Nunavut.

Conversation on health ends with record participation

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:48:23 -0700

(The Golden Star): VICTORIA - The final numbers are in. The Conversation on Health has ended with over 12,000 submissions and thousands more people taking part in public forums, providing their ideas on the future of the health system.

Silicone contaminants could drift north: researchers

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:47:08 -0700

(CBC News): Silicone-based chemicals used in some hair and body products are raising alarm among scientists who say such pollutants could enter the Arctic environment and end up in the northern food chain.

Researchers, First Nation study climate change

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:46:43 -0700

(CBC News): Memorial University and the Innu Nation are working together to study the impact of climate change in northern Newfoundland and Labrador.

Governing Council Announces Acting President of CIHR

Mon, 8 Oct 2007 21:19:13 -0700

(CIHR): Ottawa - The Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) today announced that it has authorized Dr. Pierre Chartrand to act as President of CIHR in the interim, effective November 18, 2007.

Scientist helps Nunavik say no to trans fats

Mon, 8 Oct 2007 21:18:24 -0700

(CBC News): Northern Quebec’s Nunavik region could soon be one of the first in Canada to ban trans fats, with the help of a Quebec researcher who says they cause health problems that are becoming a major concern in the North.

First Nations drums welcome B.C.’s new lieutenant-governor

Mon, 8 Oct 2007 21:17:41 -0700

(Victoria Times-Colonist): B.C.’s new lieutenant-governor cocked an ear toward the upper level of Government House yesterday and smiled as the strains of First Nations drums and singing drifted down from the great ballroom.

Omega-3s may protect children from diabetes

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:51:09 -0700

(Globe and Mail): We’re told repeatedly to consume more omega-3 fatty acids to guard against heart attack, stroke, even Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also advice that might protect children from Type 1 diabetes, according to a study published in today’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Pump iron and jog to manage Type 2 diabetes

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:50:10 -0700

(Globe and Mail): Adeceptively simple exercise routine could significantly improve the health of people suffering from diabetes, a Canadian study suggests.

FASD funding awarded to B.C. communities

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:49:00 -0700

(CNW Group): VICTORIA - The Victoria Foundation has awarded funds to 40 projects throughout B.C. from the $10-million Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Action Fund established by the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development in March 2006.

Strahl announces $17M for International Polar Year studies

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:48:12 -0700

(CBC News): Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl announced funding Tuesday for 10 International Polar Year research projects that will not only look at how climate change is affecting the North, but also study the well-being of its people.

Nunavut researchers assess diabetes among Inuit

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:47:50 -0700

(CBC News): Medical researchers working aboard an Arctic icebreaker near Pangnirtung, Nunavut, this week say Type 2 diabetes is one of their major health concerns they’re looking for in Inuit.

Colleges get B.C. cash for aboriginal education

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:24:02 -0700

(Victoria News): Three Victoria post-secondary institutions will receive more than $515,000 from the Ministry of Advanced Education to develop Aboriginal education projects.

Residential school payout a ’symbolic’ apology: Fontaine

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:23:16 -0700

(CBC News): In a move hailed by one native leader as a "turning point in the history of our nation," Canada on Wednesday formalized a landmark compensation deal for an estimated 80,000 former residential school students.

Residential school survivors can now apply for cash

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:22:31 -0700

(CTV.ca): Aboriginal students who suffered through residential schools can now officially apply for financial compensation under a $2-billion government plan.

Canada votes ’no’ as UN native rights declaration passes

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:46:02 -0700

(CBC News): The international community has adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, despite high-profile opposition from Canada and three other countries.

First Nation pleads for suicide help

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:44:30 -0700

(Globe and Mail): TOFINO, B.C. - Members of a West Coast Vancouver Island First Nation are searching for answers following two attempted suicides this past weekend and one successful suicide in early August.

Province recognizes International FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) Day

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:43:34 -0700

(BC Government): VICTORIA - British Columbia recognizes International FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) Day and September as FASD Prevention and Support Month, announced Children and Family Development Minister Tom Christensen today.

Depression makes chronic disease worse: WHO

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:42:35 -0700

(CBC News): Depression isn’t just a serious mental condition - it can exacerbate chronic disease and should be tackled head-on, urges the World Health Organization in an article published Friday in the Lancet.

Canada slammed over UN declaration

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:41:22 -0700

(Canadian Press): OTTAWA - Canada was cast yesterday as a bad actor that aggressively campaigned alongside countries with tarnished human-rights records in its failed bid to derail the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

September 9, 2007: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:56:56 -0700

(North American Aboriginal Health Organization): September 9, 2007 is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a medical diagnosis that refers to a series of alcohol-related disabilities associated with the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.

Diabetes drug promising as aid to weight loss

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:56:07 -0700

(Reuters Health): NEW YORK - Treatment with pramlintide, which is approved in the US for lowering blood sugar in people with diabetes, leads to progressive weight loss in obese subjects, according to researchers.

Next lieutenant-governor full of surprise(s)

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:55:15 -0700

(Globe and Mail): VANCOUVER - Steven Point grew up in a tiny native community in the Fraser Valley where cultural ceremonies were held in a traditional Coast Salish longhouse and where boys were more likely to become loggers or fishermen than lawyers or judges.

B.C. aboriginal leader new lieutenant-governor

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:54:19 -0700

(Victoria Times Colonist): B.C.’s first aboriginal lieutenant-governor hopes he can be a role model to First Nations youth once he moves into Government House.

Prime Minister Announcement on Mental Health Falls Short on Helping Those Most At Risk in Canada: First Nations

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:53:35 -0700

(CNW Telbec): OTTAWA - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine said today's announcement by the Prime Minister is not an adequate response to First Nations’ calls for a comprehensive mental wellness program.

Prime Minister announces appointment of Steven Point as Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 16:35:31 -0700

(Canadian Government): OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper was pleased to announce today the appointment of Steven Point as British Columbia’s newest Lieutenant-Governor.

Exercise cuts heart risks for type 1 diabetes kids

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:09:11 -0700

(Reuters Health): NEW YORK - Children and teens with type 1 diabetes may be able to reduce their risk of future heart and blood vessel disease by taking part in regular exercise, German researchers report.

Gaps in records could cause problems under residential schools deal

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:08:47 -0700

(CBC News): Former students of Indian residential schools hoping to get a compensation cheque may not receive as much money as they expect because records proving they attended the schools may not exist.

Gestational diabetes linked to kids’ obesity

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:03:09 -0700

(CTV.ca): Treating women who develop diabetes during pregnancy greatly reduces the chances that their baby will become obese during childhood, reports a study in Diabetes Care.

Guide to healthy eating for diabetics exposes myths

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:01:54 -0700

(Reuters Health): NEW YORK - A new report from Harvard Health Publications dispels common myths concerning diet and diabetes and explains what people with diabetes should eat to keep their blood sugar levels in check.

Treating diabetic pregnant women cuts child’s risk of obesity

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:01:10 -0700

(CBC News): Treating women who develop diabetes during pregnancy greatly reduces the chances that their baby will become obese during childhood, says a new study.

TB outbreak hits taxi drivers hard

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:55:35 -0700

(Globe and Mail): VICTORIA - The windows of the taxis in Port Alberni are rolled down, however hard it rains, the most obvious sign that the small Vancouver Island city is the centre of what health officials say is an unprecedented outbreak of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis and the Port Alberni Outbreak

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:53:38 -0700

(Van Island Health Authority): Since May 2006, approximately 1,800 individuals in the Port Alberni area of Vancouver Island have been screened for tuberculosis (TB), and thirty cases of active TB were reported. An outbreak was declared for the area in January, as it was experiencing over twice the average number of cases reported for central Vancouver Island, which is typically five TB cases per year.

Researchers find hepatitis B clues in old northern blood

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:53:12 -0700

(CBC News): A Canadian research scientist is using frozen blood samples, taken two decades ago from thousands of people across the North, in hopes of revealing new clues about hepatitis B.

Squabbling over who pays medical bills threatens First Nations kids: journal

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:47:12 -0700

(CP): TORONTO - The Canadian Medical Association Journal is adding its voice to the chorus calling for federal, provincial and territorial governments to stop squabbling over who pays the bills when it comes to the medical needs of sick First Nations children.

Governments failing native children, report says

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:46:25 -0700

(Globe and Mail): Hundreds of aboriginal children with severe medical problems are being reluctantly surrendered to welfare authorities and moved to institutions in big cities because federal and provincial health authorities cannot agree on who should pay to care for them in their home communities.

New Investment in First Nations Language Revitalization

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:45:06 -0700

(BC Government): VICTORIA - A $2-million grant will support First Nations language initiatives in early childhood development programming in British Columbia, Children and Family Development Minister Tom Christensen announced today.

Sockeye collapse could have grave implications

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:44:46 -0700

First Nations leaders and fisheries officials have scheduled an emergency meeting for tomorrow to discuss how to deal with what’s fast becoming a disastrous season for the sockeye salmon fishery.

120 in Nunavut may have rare virus

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:43:36 -0700

(Nunatsiaq News): An extremely rare sexually transmitted virus may affect more than 120 Nunavummiut, a health study has found.

Probe set for plan to give braces to aboriginal children

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:51:14 -0700

(National Post): Health Canada has commissioned a study of its multi-million-dollar orthodontics program for Aboriginal children, as some experts question whether installing braces should be a government priority in a population afflicted by a litany of other health and dental problems.

Closure of Fraser River run threatens native food supply

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:50:09 -0700

(CBC News): Sockeye salmon counts in the Fraser River are less than half of normal this year, and that’s raised fears of a disastrous season for local fisheries.

Major Inuit health survey drops anchor in Nunavut

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:49:44 -0700

(CBC News): The largest Inuit health survey ever conducted in Canada has begun in southern Hudson Bay, with doctors and other medical staff travelling across Nunavut aboard an Arctic icebreaker to test and chat with Inuit about their well-being.