Question Period Note: COVID-19 Cases in Shamattawa First Nation

• Indigenous Services Canada has been working with Shamattawa and provincial and First Nation partners throughout the outbreak to provide supports.

• A rapid response team is providing at home testing and health assessments, and the nursing station is well-staffed.

• We have supported the Canadian Red Cross and the Bear Clan to deploy to the community to assist with response efforts, and have active several Canadian Armed Forces rangers in the community.

• We continue to assess needs and identify resources that can be deployed to assist.

Housing situation

Shamattawa First Nation is located approximately 1000 km north of Winnipeg. The on-reserve population is approximately 1,200. The First Nation does not have an all-weather road, and is not connected to the hydro-electric grid. Transportation access is provided by a seasonal winter road, and by air for the remainder of the year. Diesel generation is used to provide utility service in the community, with fuel being transported annually on the winter road

On October 20, 2020, the Chief and Council of Shamattawa First Nation met with staff from Indigenous Services Canada to provide a proposal related to their housing priorities. This has been received, and is being evaluated. Since 2016, Indigenous Services Canada has provided more than $8.4 million to Shamattawa First Nation for housing-related priorities.

In 2019-20, Indigenous Services Canada provided Shamattawa First Nation with $1,935,270 to construct 12 individual units. These units are complete and occupied. $125,000 from the Frist Nation’s Band Base Capital funding was approved for furnace replacements, and another $20,000 was provided to develop the community-based housing workplan.

In 2020-21, Indigenous Services Canada has provided funding for Shamattawa First Nation’s housing priorities including $450,000 for renovation and additions to nine existing units. A further $20,000 was provided to assist in continuing development of a community-based strategic housing workplan, and a further $50,000 for the community to resource a position to implement the housing workplan.

COVID-19

MB region has been working with Shamattawa over the past couple weeks to manage cases in their community. The first case was identified on November 10. The case and contacts were immediately isolated. The Chief is now implementing strict restrictions on movement and curfews.

On November 25, Chief Redhead was considering requesting support to transport all elders in the community to Churchill until the cases in community were resolved. When the region met with Chief and partners on November 26, Chief Redhead had reconsidered and was requesting that all cases be removed from community for isolation and MB region is working with the nursing station to coordinate.

The rapid response team has deployed to community on November 27 to assist with response. The team includes one physician, four nurses and a physiotherapist. A Blue Med shelter was deployed to the community and has been operational since November 29.

Leadership has identified challenges with enforcing public health orders to isolate (including threats of violence against him and his family), and that enforcing isolation is especially challenging for people with addiction issues, and the need for more people to isolate outside the community, which is ongoing, as needs and spaces are identified.

In addition to the Rapid Response Team, additional nurse and clerical resources have been deployed to assist. Addiction medicine expertise has been engaged to develop options for people with addictions. Accommodations for visiting team members are a limiting factor.

The community has just received $147,172 in community adaptation funding, $161,497 in immediate needs funding ($308, 669 in RO funding) plus $625,000 in Public Health funding.

Region reached out to Public Safety regarding the policing issues. Regional GOC is coordinating an emergency management meeting this morning with Province and all partners. RO is actively engaged with the National GOC to ensure they are updated and coordinated with the Regional assessment.

If pressed on the request for evacuating elders

• We have heard Chief Redhead’s request to evacuate community members who are at highest risk, including elders.

• We have been evacuating high risk cases and contacts as they are identified and as space is available. Since Saturday, December 5, 24 community members have been evacuated to alternate isolation accommodation.

• Another 12 have been identified and we expect them in short order.

• We are working with partners to ensure availability of supportive services for an increasing number of evacuees from Shamattawa and are developing a plan for safe evacuation.

If pressed on providing military support to Shamattawa to enforce compliance
• We recognize that each community is unique and requires a different approach to addressing COVID-19.

• Officials are working closely with Shamattawa First Nations to identify strategies that will work best for their community. Military personnel are on the ground in the community.

• We will continue to work closely with leadership to identify options to meet their needs, and will work with all partners including the Province of Manitoba, other federal departments and the Manitoba First Nation Pandemic and Coordination Team to provide supports needed to interrupt the spread of COVID in Shamattawa First Nation.
If pressed on Shamattawa First Nation housing infrastructure
• Our government is committed to working with First Nations to improve the availability and quality of on-reserve housing. All Canadians should have access to safe, quality, and affordable housing.

• On October 20, the Chief and Council of Shamattawa First Nation met with regional officials to discuss their housing priorities. Staff are working with the First Nation to address these priorities.

• Since 2016, ISC has provided more than $8.4 million to Shamattawa First Nation for housing-related priorities.

• We will continue working with Chief and Council to support their delivery of housing programs.
If pressed on specific housing concerns
• Since 2016, we have provided over $8.4 million to Shamattawa First Nation for housing.

• In 2019-20, Shamattawa First Nation constructed 12 individual units that are complete and occupied. This year, we provided funding for renovations and additions to nine existing units.

• Operation and maintenance of housing is the responsibility of First Nations. We will continue working with Chief and Council to support their delivery of housing programs, and will be reaching out to determine if additional supports can be provided on immediate needs.