Pandemic experience highlights need for systemic change, say First Nations, Métis leaders

Manitoba's approach to its pandemic response in First Nation and Métis communities over the last year illuminates a need for change in the future, Indigenous leaders say.

Arlen Dumas, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said systemic racism and gaps in service in health-care were part of the reason why First Nations communities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Nearly one-third of Manitoba's COVID-19 cases have been among First Nations people, who make up roughly 10 per cent of the province's population. 

"To truly deal with a pandemic, you have to deal with all the other associated issues," Dumas said.

"If we didn't have a housing shortage, we wouldn't have as many outbreaks. If we had proper water and infrastructure in our communities, we wouldn't be impacted as greatly as we have been."

One of the silver linings of the pandemic has been collaborative efforts with First Nations health experts as part of Manitoba's pandemic response.

"When there is a political will to do things in innovative ways, to do things differently, then amazing things can be done," he said.

Dumas said he's happy to see people develop a greater appreciation for First Nations health expertise, but he wishes the federal government would have taken a more proactive approach and made more resources available to First Nations.

Manitoba Métis Federation president David Chartrand said he still remembers the early days of planning with Métis leaders about what they would do if COVID-19 made its way to the province.

"We said, if this thing, based on what it's doing — hitting the elderly, hitting those with chronic illnesses — then we could be in deep, deep trouble here and could lose many lives," Chartrand said.

He said chronic illnesses are especially prevalent among the roughly 125,000 Métis people in Manitoba, so leaders were worried.

Chartrand said Métis people ended up left out of many aspects of the province's pandemic response, from data sharing to vaccine rollout.

"For us, it is a scary environment to have found ourselves in. But it opened [our] eyes," he said, adding that Métis leaders are now looking at creating their own health-care resources so they don't need to depend on other governments in the future.

"Our people have proven over and over, working as a team has paid off greatly."

As vaccines slowly start to roll out, Métis leaders are focused on making sure people have the information they need to stay safe, Chartrand said.

"My big worry right now as a leader is, 'What if there's a third or a fourth [wave]? The variants are coming. That worries us," he said.

Meanwhile, First Nations leaders are finally seeing "a light at the end of the tunnel," Dumas said.

But that doesn't mean letting up on following public health orders — something he said leaders are working to make sure people understand.

"It's been a long year. I think our communities did quite an amazing job, but unfortunately it has been a very difficult time," Dumas said. 

"We can't see the vaccine as a magical pill. [COVID-19 is] still a threat and we all need to be vigilant."