Media Assignment 1

Gurjit Kaur, Gurleen Kaur Sohi

Social Service Worker- Gerontology, Sheridan College
CSRV13672: Social diversity in contemporary Canada
Salomeh Ahmadi
November17, 2023
Three media articles about the problems with Indigenous people's human rights will be used in
this essay. The initial article was written by Kristine Liao and published in 2020 by Global
Citizen under the title "61 Indigenous communities in Canada still Face Water Crisis." The
second piece is titled "First Nations children's health impacted by poor housing conditions" and
was published on January 24, 2022, in National News. It was written by Fraser Needham. The
final piece of writing is titled "On May 17, 2021, Indigenous Peoples in Canada have higher
death rates and complications after surgery."
Although water resources in Canada are well known, First Nations communities still struggle to
obtain clean drinking water. Half of the issues remained unresolved in February, despite 61
Indigenous Reserves being subject to scrutiny. Because it can be extremely deadly, the
authorities simply advised people to boil their water or not drink it at all. While the government
did not include this commitment in the most recent speech from the throne, Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau promised to settle this by March 2021. To prevent delays in finding answers, the
COVID-19 epidemic has made it more difficult for construction workers to enter communities.
Rob Houle, an advocate for Indigenous peoples, wonders why advancements are made so slowly
in contrast to the speed at which COVID-19 emergencies are handled. A state of emergency was
declared in 2019, however some residents of the Neskantaga reserve continue to boil water for
safety. Safe drinking water has been absent from the reserve since 1995. For Indigenous
communities, during the epidemic, disparities in water availability increase the hazards. The
long-term advisories that call for boiling water for at least a minute before use are known as boil
water advisories. The Minister of Indigenous Services, Marc Miller, hopes that with more
funding and proactive preparation, the March 2021 objective will be met. Yet, as Human Rights
Watch points out, there are concerns due to historical differences in access to clean water and
sanitary facilities on Indigenous reservations. It is still unclear how Trudeau's government pledge
will turn out. Finally, after twenty years, the people are still extremely upset that the promises
made in points two through eight regarding the water and sanitization of Indigenous reserves
have not been fulfilled.
There is alarming evidence linking substandard housing to respiratory health problems in young
children, according to a study done in remote First Nations communities in northern Ontario.
Analyzing four villages in the Sioux Lookout region, the study revealed that prominent levels of
mold, bacterial endotoxins, poor indoor air quality, dust mite concentration, and wood smoke
pollutants were related with greater incidence of respiratory illnesses and wheezing in children.
In a study including 98 First Nations children under three, it was found that 85% of the homes
lacked regulated ventilation, more than half had broken windows, 44% had exterior wall water
penetration, and 6% had immediate safety concerns. Insufficient housing has been linked to
respiratory diseases, according to senior researcher Dr. Thomas Kovesi, a pediatrics
respirologist. In the first two years of life, respiratory problems account for 21% of
hospitalizations for children, and 25% of these cases need medical evacuation. Even while just
4% of children were given an asthma diagnosis, the study also showed that 40% of them had
wheezing, a potential indication of the condition. RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) rates were
noticeably elevated locally. The identification of concerns related to overcrowding and
inadequate ventilation has implications for the prevention of COVID-19 outbreaks in First
Nations communities. With a focus on the need for information on air quality in First Nations
homes across Canada, the authors called for action to improve housing and infrastructure to
improve general health. Data for the study was gathered in 2019 and 2020 after planning about
five years. The FEHNCY project (Food, Environment, Health and Nutrition of First Nations
Children and Youth) is expanding the research team's efforts to include additional Indigenous
communities across Canada. There are alarming differences in surgical outcomes for Indigenous
Peoples in Canada, according to research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal
(CMAJ). Indigenous people have lower overall surgery rates and greater rates of post-operative
mortality and complications. Examining 28 research with 1.9 million patients (about twice the
population of South Dakota), the study highlights how critical it is to comprehend and deal with
these problems to fight systemic racism and colonialism in the healthcare system. Having prompt
and secure access to surgery is essential for preventing trauma, curing cancer, and lowering the
number of newborn mortalities following caesarean deliveries. According to the report, there is a
30% higher chance of post-surgery death for Indigenous Peoples, as well as longer wait times for
transplants, less access to life-saving surgeries, and greater post-surgical complications. In other
high-income nations, comparable discrepancies have been noted. More research and uniform
data gathering techniques are required, as evidenced by the little and poor-quality Canadian data.
To eradicate structural racism in the healthcare system, the report highlights the need for
enhanced data and more research conducted by Indigenous scholars. The COVID-19 pandemic
has disproportionately affected disadvantaged populations, especially Indigenous communities,
raising concerns about the possible aggravation of these issues.
Reflection/ Analysis:
This article highlights the ongoing violations of the human rights of Indigenous peoples in
obtaining a quality education and entering the workforce. K–12 schools situated in indigenous
peoples' reserves can lack resources like science labs, field trips, art studios and music bands.
Each of these luxuries helps a child figure out where they fit into the world.
It is the responsibility of the media to guarantee that Native Americans receive the same
treatment as non-Native Americans. To educate the world about the strengths of indigenous
people and the importance of social inclusion in all contexts, for example, the media can tell the
stories of these people. Like in Eva Fergusson's account of Nikki Ballantyne, successful
indigenous people can also be given space in the media to encourage the next generation to reach
their full potential.
Activism
It is necessary to establish support organizations for Native Americans in various settings. One
such programmed is the Indigenous University Bridging Programmed at Mount Royal, which
enables students of Indigenous descent to finish the high school requirements necessary for their
chosen post-secondary education. The program's goal is noticeably clear: to address the
educational needs of the indigenous people while fostering an environment that is supportive of
their culture and education. If put into practice, the Deloitte report's recommendations from 2023
will have a good and significant effect on indigenous people in the workplace and in schools.
The recommendations include expanding the number of Indigenous leaders employed, assisting
Indigenous students with trauma-informed techniques, increasing the accessibility of student
services, and promoting inclusivity in the classroom. Comparably, an organization named Nature
and Culture has been working with indigenous people who are passionate about preserving and
safeguarding the land and culture they have lived on. These communities receive support from
Nature and Culture, which equips them with the means to improve their quality of life by
utilizing and protecting the natural resources in their immediate environment. They provide them
with full technical and legal support to help them accomplish their goal of preserving their
amazing ancestral lands.
Support organizations for Native Americans in various settings must be established. Take Mount
Royal's Indigenous University Bridging Programmer, for instance, which enables students of
Indigenous descent to finish the high school requirements for their chosen post-secondary
education route. Through her time at university, this group helped Nikki.
The Deloitte report's (2023) suggestions will have a good and significant impact on indigenous
people in schools and workplaces if they are put into practice. Employing more Indigenous
leaders, helping Indigenous students with trauma-informed strategies, increasing accessible
student services, and promoting inclusive learning are some of the proposals.
It is critical that, in my capacity as an ally, I assist the indigenous populations. There are various
things we may do to help the Native American pupils. Initially, to foster a sense of belonging
among students at universities and colleges, we would lead a discussion group comprising
members of all backgrounds. Students' feeling of integrity may be sparked by this, and everyone
in the community may feel included and appreciated.
Furthermore, by planning protests in schools and inspiring other students to oppose the injustice
that indigenous people experience, we may help the communities that are persistently striving to
maintain their aboriginal land culture. With social media, a significant force in today's world, we
can raise awareness of the issues and draw attention to them to educate people worldwide. To
support the indigenous people, this may serve to bring those who live far away closer together.
Conclusion:
Indigenous people have long been denied access to high-quality education. To ensure that the
country's development plan is promptly realized, it is our collective responsibility as a nation to
advocate for improved education for all residents. Because the Indigenous community has the
same rights to a decent life as all other Canadians, the government need to consider all the
concerns and issues that they bring up. To fix any problem they have, all the necessary metrics
ought to be in place. To offer a higher standard of living, the government ought to collaborate
with a few groups. And finally, everyone in Canada should receive fair and equal treatment.
 REFERENCES
• Fraser Needham (January 2022) - First Nations children’s health impacted by poor housing
conditions - https://www.aptnnews.ca/featured/study-first-nations-childrens-health-impactedby-
poor-housing-conditions/
• Indigenous Peoples in Canada have higher death rates, complications after surgery (May 17,
2021) - https://www.med.ubc.ca/byline-date-only/indigenous-peoples-in-canada-have-
higherdeath-rates-complications-after-surgery/
• Information on Mount Royal’s Indigenous University Bridging Program retrieved from -
https://www.mtroyal.ca/ProgramsCourses/FacultiesSchoolsCentres/IniskimCentre/
indigenousuniversity-bridging-program/index.htm#:~:text=The program offers three levels,
secondary arts, and science courses.
• Kristine Liao (2020) - 61 Indigenous communities in Canada still Face Water Crisis -
https://www.globalcitizen.org/es/content/canada-indigenous-drinking-water-dangers/?
gclid=Cj0KCQiAr8eqBhD3ARIsAIe-
buP9Bj69UFdUdAD6lkIfaGk3SqmgAY6OsD2hstKsdxrx-4
• Nature & Culture International - https://www.natureandculture.org/indigenous-local-partners/?
gclid=CjwKCAiA6byqBhAWEiwAnGCA4CtMj9LVX-
JTShUbvJ8WRzveUNVTlj4UFPgJUGHg9lWkl0sFFMClwhoCkOMQAvD_BwE