On January 1st, Health Canada changed regulations around medical transportation from remote communities such as the Barriere Lake First Nation. Now, instead of accessing medical transportation locally, the remote citizens of Barriere Lake must get transportation from out of the community, apply for transportation, which takes 48 hours and disclosure of medical records for approval.
This is prevents many of Barriere Lake's citizens from accessing the proper medical care, including four patients on dialysis. Having so many hoops to jump through to access medical care is unnecessary and degrading and should not happen in Canada.
By signing today you are standing for access to health care for all citizens of this land. We must work together to create strong nation-to-nation relationships that treat First Nations with respect, instead of continuous paternalization that prevents them from being fully empowered as a nation.
We stand with the Barriere Lake First Nation in demanding that the medical transportation policy changes, implemented January 1st, 2016, be reversed so that medical transportation is again accessible to this remote band.
We ask that medical transportation once again be allowed from the local community and that there is no application for transportation out of community, with no approval time nor relinquishing of medical records.
We believe it is time for Canada to take a strong commitment in their honouring of nation-to-nation relations. This starts with treating bands with respect and stopping the paternalization of the bands with relation to necessary medical care.
