Northern Saskatchewan. Member of Parliament denounces Minister of Indigenous Services for “attempted hijacking” of First Nations vaccine deployment problems

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Conservative Indigenous Services Critic Gary Vidal, who was recently re-elected as MP for Desnethé — Missinippi — Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan, spoke loudly for his Liberal counterpart, the minister on Friday. Federal Indigenous Services, Marc Miller.

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) said on Friday it was working on a plan to “personalize the approach to reimmunization” for those affected after expired doses of Pfizer vaccine were administered to seventy-one First Nation members. Chippewas from Saugeen, Ontario between August 13 and September 9.

Community members received expired doses of the vaccine for almost a month and were not told of the error until early this week. Vidal called the revelation “disturbing” and questioned whether Miller’s Twitter comments on Thursday criticizing Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s comments about immunization in northern communities was an attempt to hijack.

The Trudeau government’s “crass policy”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has criticized Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney for low vaccination rates in the Prairie provinces. (Photo courtesy of the Government of Alberta)

Miller took to Twitter on Thursday to criticize Moe’s assertion earlier in the week that northern and Indigenous communities fall under “exclusive” federal jurisdiction as “inaccurate.” The Prince Albert Daily Herald contacted Miller’s office on Friday to request further comment, but the minister has yet to respond.

At issue, Moe’s comments blaming the federal government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in particular, for the low use of vaccines in northern and Indigenous communities. Moe also said on Tuesday that he “suspected” the federal government had mismanaged its approach to the pandemic in northern and indigenous communities across Canada.

Miller said his ministry had taken a collaborative approach to managing the pandemic in northern Saskatchewan and called Moe’s comments “unproductive.”

“At the start of this pandemic, the community of La Loche faced a devastating spread of COVID, but we worked cooperatively, despite jurisdictional complexities, with Saskatchewan and local Indigenous leaders to crush the curve,” said Miller.

“This first lesson has guided our approach since then. “

But Vidal saw Miller’s response to the prime minister as a way of turning away from the federal government’s failures to bring the pandemic under control. Vidal said Moe is not wrong to say there is a problem with vaccination in northern and Indigenous communities in Canada.

“I’m frankly quite disappointed that this is the path they would take. Especially when you find out later today that Minister Miller’s ministry was providing expired COVID-19 vaccines to members of the Saugeen First Nation in Ontario, ”Vidal said.

“They found out on September 15th. They did not disclose this information until two days after the election. I’m sorry, this is just crass politics.

Vidal said he would contact Miller to ensure that no First Nations in northern Saskatchewan also receive expired COVID-19 vaccines.

“ISC (Indigenous Services Canada) sitting on this for a week until after polling day is concerning. The health and safety of Canadians should come before electoral success. Instead of attacking prime ministers to distract attention, can (Marc Miller) assure First Nations across Canada that this was an isolated incident? “

Challenge to leaders “across the spectrum”

Justin Trudeau speaks at a 2019 city hall rally in Saskatoon. Photo by Jason Kerr / Prince Albert Daily Herald

Vidal said Trudeau and Miller’s “divisive” approach has scared people rather than encouraging vaccination by a northern public who are already hesitant to get vaccinated.

“I have spoken with chiefs and elders about this First Nations concern about vaccinations,” Vidal said.

“I would challenge Minister Miller; I would challenge the Prime Minister and challenge anyone to find ways, as leaders from all walks of life, to encourage people in these communities to get vaccinated. “

Miller said on Twitter that we all have a “role to play” in the fight against the pandemic. Vaccination rates in First Nations communities in Saskatchewan are low, at around 60% among those 12 years of age and older, but we “absolutely” should not blame these communities.

“There are many reasons for this, including a high youth population coupled with Saskatchewan not prioritizing Indigenous communities,” Miller said. “We are also seeing hesitation in some communities. “

He said that throughout the pandemic, the ISC has “worked tirelessly” with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and local health authorities to keep people safe and ensure a “culturally appropriate approach” to vaccine distribution and compliance with public health measures.

As of September 22, Miller said total funding of $ 237,870,074 has been allocated to Saskatchewan to support the response of Indigenous communities to COVID. This is in addition to a total of $ 143,213,826 that was allocated to Saskatchewan in public health funding as of September 16, he said.

“An obviously hasty reopening has resulted in the spread of this new wave of Delta variants, primarily among the unvaccinated,” Miller said.

“Indigenous communities face three to five times the risk of non-Indigenous communities when faced with COVID-19. They consistently beat those odds.

He said the success is “due to the incredible work that has been done through Indigenous-led responses, Indigenous leaders, and Indigenous teams in the event of a pandemic.”

“We have to be there for them in partnership to beat this current wave,” Miller said.

But Vidal said that instead of building bridges, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his minister have started to “pit one group against the other.”

“It’s really unfortunate to be honest with you that he’s doing this. This is not how we are going to have real reconciliation. We don’t pit people against each other if we are to reconcile, ”Vidal said.

“In a costly five-week campaign, we saw our country’s Prime Minister, Mr. Miller’s party leader, specifically pit vaccinated and unvaccinated people against each other.

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