From: brewnoser2@gmail.com   
      
   Think about it. . . . indigenous communities in the Yukon, NWT and Nunavut   
   were given priority vaccinations against Covid-19 'because of the remote areas   
   where medical facilities are scarce'. Most of these were to communities that   
   hadn't recorded a    
   single case of Covid-19.   
      
   Okay, now we have word that 'quiet work' is being done to give natives who   
   live in urban areas - like the majority of us in Canada - priority for the   
   vaccines. Let's be clear here: RACE will be the determining factor for   
   priority access to the vaccine.    
   Not for any other 'race' - just the indigenous one.   
      
   Anyone else waiting desperately for the vaccine because of personal medical   
   conditions, age, job with high public exposure . . . do you have a problem   
   with that?   
   ____________________________________________   
   The Canadian Press - Wednesday, January 20, 2021   
      
   Ottawa advocating to prioritize vaccines for Indigenous people   
      
   OTTAWA -- Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says the federal government   
   is working with the provinces to prioritize vaccinating Indigenous people   
   against COVID-19, including those who live in urban centres and other places   
   where the provinces    
   provide health services.   
      
   "This is a particularly acute issue and challenge when we're talking about the   
   deployment of the vaccine," Miller told a news conference Wednesday in Ottawa.   
      
   Miller said he has been concerned that Ottawa is not able to vaccinate First   
   Nations people living off-reserve, as well as Metis and Inuit outside federal   
   jurisdiction. He said the federal government is doing "quiet work" with the   
   provinces to prioritize    
   these groups.   
      
   "We need participation of the provinces to ensure that needles get into   
   the arms of people that are the most vulnerable," he said.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
      
   "The role of the federal government, in my mind, is to offer our assets, offer   
   our co-operation our resources, our logistical capacities."   
      
   The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends the first phase of   
   the COVID-19 vaccine rollout prioritize people who live and work in long-term   
   care homes, people over the age of 80, front-line health workers, and adults   
   in Indigenous    
   communities where an outbreak can be particularly harmful and hard to manage.   
      
   Dr. Tom Wong, chief medical officer of public health at Indigenous Services   
   Canada, said the department is now working with Indigenous partners and   
   provinces and territories to specifically prioritize elders for receiving the   
   COVID-19 vaccine, and other    
   groups.   
      
   "We are working with partners, including urban partners, urban   
   Indigenous partners, local health departments, provinces and territories to   
   really emphasize, and advocate for the inclusion in the rollout early   
   on vaccines for underserved First Nations, Metis and Inuit," he said.   
      
   "We're very glad that in some jurisdictions, they are already making plans in   
   the coming days and weeks to actually specifically support First Nations,   
   Metis and Inuit in those downtown, inner-city, hard-to-reach   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   areas to actually offer the vaccine."   
   ^^^^^   
      
   In a news release Wednesday, Indigenous Services Canada said there have been   
   89 COVID-19 cases, including 15 deaths, in nine long-term   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   care homes on reserves located in Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.   
      
   The number of COVID-19 active cases in First Nations communities reached an   
   all-time high this week with 5,571 reported cases as of Tuesday.   
      
   The department said COVID-19 vaccine rollouts have already started in 169   
   Indigenous communities in all provinces and territories except Nova Scotia and   
   P.E.I.   
   _____________________________   
      
   Just heard on a CBC program today that because the native people KNOW that if   
   those of them who live in cities and urban areas - that have full access to   
   medical faciities - start to get priority for the vaccine, they may face   
   accusations of racist    
   policy being applied.   
      
   The plan? They would get their vaccine at 'indigenous oriented' facilities   
   with security provided. Anyone have a problem with that?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)