Question Period Note: Indigenous Health

Our Government is working to close the gap in accessing quality healthcare between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada:
• by supporting 63 community-led mental wellness teams serving 344 communities, up from 11 teams in 2015;
• by approving 483,000 Jordan’s Principle requests for products and services since 2016; and
• by providing coverage of health benefits to over 873,000 First Nations people and Inuit in 2018-19.

We are also working with Indigenous partners towards developing arrangements that support self determination and control over Indigenous health.

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) works collaboratively with partners to improve access to high quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Our vision is to support and empower Indigenous peoples to independently deliver services and address the socio-economic conditions in their communities.
The First Nations and Inuit Health Branch within ISC supports First Nations and Inuit in their aim to influence, manage, and control health programs and services that affect them.
The most advanced model of First Nations health transfer is in British Columbia where a tripartite Framework Agreement was signed in 2011 and led to the full devolution of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch’s regional operations in 2013 to a newly established First Nations Health Authority.

If pressed on health services

Our government remains focused on supporting long-term investments that will improve the health and well-being of Indigenous communities.
Some key outcomes of ongoing work realized in partnership with First Nations include:
• Expanding health benefits coverage to ensure that pregnant mothers who leave their communities for childbirth do not have to travel alone. Between June 2017 and March 2019, 92% of clients that travelled for childbirth, travelled with an escort; and
• Since 2016, of the 207 health-related infrastructure projects currently underway 93% (193) are completed.

If pressed on health transformation

Our vision is to support First Nations and Inuit in their aim to manage and control health programs and services that affect them.
This approach provides First Nations with greater opportunity to increase coordination with provincial/territorial systems and bring much needed services closer to their communities.
One example of this is in British Columbia with the First Nations Health Authority.
Last year, we also provided $42 million over three years to Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak for health transformation. Similar efforts are underway in other provinces.

If pressed on the Cuban Medical Services of Cuba offering assistance to First Nations in Canada

We are aware of the initiative to facilitate the Republic of Cuba’s offer to assist First Nations in training Indigenous health professionals and transferring preventive and integrative healthcare expertise.
We support community control of health care and services, while simultaneously protecting the health and wellbeing of those receiving these services.
The Department recognizes the need to work in partnership to increase access to culturally competent training for Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals working in and with First Nations communities.

If pressed on Nishnawbe Aski Nation

We are working with partners towards our common goal of advancing the 2017 trilateral commitment that supports self-determination and control of Indigenous health in Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) territory.
This is why, starting in 2018, this Government has committed to providing $11.6 million over 3 years to NAN for health transformation.
We are committed to supporting NAN in their aim to manage and control health programs and services and bring those much needed services closer to their communities.

Remote Communities – Access to Health Services

Our Government is working with provincial and First Nations partners to achieve system-wide health transformation in northern First Nation communities.
We know that the best success comes from Indigenous-led and delivered health systems.
This is why we are advancing work with partners in Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan on health system transformation.
We have committed $71 million over three years for this work.