Current Problems:
Exploring Theme: "Ongoing Health Crisis"
Updates on this page: 21
(Filtered by Stakeholder "Alberta")
October 11, 2024
Minister says not enough beds for compulsory care for addictions across the country
Several provinces are discussing introducing or expanding compulsory treatment Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks listens to questions at a news conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa, on Friday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang APTN News: The Canadian Press – Provinces and territories need to do more to expand and improve their treatment...
June 5, 2024
First Nations ‘triaging grief’ as opioids claim lives at more than 8 times the rate of the rest of Alberta
‘You lose someone, and you’re trying to grieve, and then somebody else dies’ CBC News: First Nations people in Alberta have been dying from opioids at more than eight times the rate of the rest of the population, according to newly published data that puts harder numbers on a grim reality Indigenous leaders have been sounding...
May 24, 2024
New statistics on opioid poisonings paint a grim picture for First Nations people in Alberta
Alberta opioid poisoning deaths report shows an increase in First Nations deaths Alberta Legislature. Photo: Danielle Paradis/APTN APTN News: In 2022 the rate of opioid poisoning deaths for First Nations was 8.4 times higher than non-Indigenous people, according to a new report released by the Alberta First Nations Information Governance Centre. “When I was going...
May 10, 2024
Kainai Nation and it’s fight against the opioid crisis
Harm reduction efforts on Kainai First Nation Blood Tribe/Kainai Nation harm reduction house in Stand Off., one of the townsites on Kainai Photo: Danielle Paradis APTN News: In the morning at the Blood Tribe Harm Reduction Project, Twila Singer a peer support worker, opens the house and starts the coffee. The weather is bad so...
March 14, 2024
Flip-flop in regulating mental health counsellors will slow getting urgent services to Indigenous people
Treaty 8 Grand Chief Arthur Noskey and Treaty 6 Grand Chief Cody Thomas. Windspeaker.com: The decision by Alberta to regulate counsellor therapy through the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) will not meet the urgency of mental health care required by Indigenous populations in the province. Letters sent from Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 nations in...
February 29, 2024
Treaty 6 and 8 grand chiefs call for action on mental health crisis in Alberta
Chiefs Noskey and Thomas say province must establish regulatory college to address First Nations mental health crisis Kevin Ma NationTalk: Airdrie City View – The grand chiefs of most of Alberta’s First Nations have called on the province to proclaim a counselling college and address an ongoing mental health crisis. Treaty 8 First Nations of...
January 24, 2024
Prevention measures, not crisis management needed to address emergency situation in Bigstone Cree Nation
Bigstone Cree Nation called on ministries to address “mental health, policing, gangs, rising crime rates, poverty, food security, child and family-related issues, homelessness and the housing crisis that we face.” — Bigstone Cree Nation Chief Andy Alook Chief Andy Alook (centre) is pictured with some of the councillors from Bigstone Cree Nation. Windspeaker.com: Armed with...
December 18, 2023
Dismissal of Dr. Deena Hinshaw from Indigenous health team prompted Alberta ethics investigation
Two people say they gave testimony to ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler in October After Dr. Deena Hinshaw was briefly hired and quickly removed from a position with an Indigenous health team at Alberta Health Services earlier this year, more than 100 physicians signed a letter calling for an ethics investigation. Unbeknownst to the public, they got their wish. CBC...
September 7, 2023
Alberta First Nations declare state of emergency over drug crisis
A tribal council representing five First Nations in northeast Alberta have declared a state of emergency over an escalating mental health and addictions crisis. Athabasca Tribal Council Grand Chief Allan Adam speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on March 20, 2013. ADRIAN WYLD/THE CANADIAN PRESS The Globe and Mail: A council representing five First...
August 7, 2023
Bearspaw First Nation to meet with federal officials as opioid crisis worsens
FRÉDÉRIK-XAVIER DUHAMEL The Globe and Mail: Indigenous Services Canada officials are set to meet with the leaders of a First Nation in Alberta this week to discuss support for the small community that is struggling to cope with the devastating impact of the opioid crisis. Bearspaw First Nation Chief Darcy Dixon said his people have faced...
July 10, 2023
Treaty 6 Chiefs declare state of emergency over opioid deaths
By Danielle ParadisJul 10, 2023 Treaty 6 chiefs are speaking out about drug poisoning APTN News: The Confederacy of Treaty 6 Nations in Alberta announced Monday it has declared a state of emergency due to the opioid drug crisis. Families, friends, and loved ones are being lost to this devastating crisis,” Grand Chief Leonard Standingontheroad said...
July 4, 2023
First Nations life expectancy plummets in Alberta due to opioid deaths
First Nations women and men have had their life expectancy decline seven years since 2015. APTN News: Between 2015 and 2021 the life expectancy dropped a shocking seven years for First Nations men and women living in Alberta due in part to drug poisoning deaths. In 2015, the average life expectancy for a First Nation...
June 27, 2023
IPAC Statement in response to the shocking and disrespectful events that precipitated Dr. Tailfeathers’ resignation from Alberta Health Services
NationTalk: At the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, we stand in solidarity with Dr. Tailfeathers as she made the difcult decision to resign from her position with Alberta Health Services and the brave words she has offered to the media in the aftermath of this decision. It is deeply painful for our community of Indigenous...
June 27, 2023
Doctors sign open letter to decry AHS decision to revoke Hinshaw job offer
130 Alberta doctors had signed the letter by late Monday afternoon CBC News · Posted: Jun 26, 2023, Last Updated: June 27 More than 100 Alberta physicians have signed an open letter condemning the move by Alberta Health Services to revoke a job offer to Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who was set to start working on a key...
June 23, 2023
The hiring and unhiring of Dr. Deena Hinshaw warrants answers that we aren’t getting
Consequences have spread beyond the former public health official’s employment status CBC News: We know who hired Dr. Deena Hinshaw to a new role supporting public and preventive health in Alberta. We don’t know who un-hired her. But we’re starting to learn about the consequences of that somebody’s decision to rescind the appointment of Alberta’s...
April 25, 2023
Mikisew Cree First Nation declares state of local emergency following multiple suicides
‘We can feel the grief amongst the people, the hurt,’ says Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro CBC News: A First Nation in northern Alberta has declared a state of local emergency following a string of suicide and suicide attempts among community members. The Mikisew Cree First Nation says immediate medical intervention is needed in Fort Chipewyan, Alta.,...
November 24, 2022
The Impact of Inaction – New Publication Reveals Not All of Canada is on Track to Meet Global Hepatitis C Elimination Goal
Timing of elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Canada’s provinces indicates 70% of provinces could reach the World Health Organization’s (WHO) HCV elimination target of 2030, however three of Canada’sprovinces — two of them the most populous in the country — are off track to achieve this hepatitis C elimination goal.1 Timely elimination would save 170...
September 6, 2022
The beast of addiction in Indigenous communities remains untamed
Globe & Mail: Tanya Talaga – Over the past week, a Thunder Bay hotel’s conference room has become home to a land-based healing and recovery program. There, 17 women from one northern First Nation about two hours down the highway – women who are addicted to opioids, alcohol, crystal methamphetamine (jib) and/or methadone, which is...
October 21, 2020
Food Insecurity
The Narwhal – Human Rights Watch released “My fear is Losing Everything: Climate Crisis and First Nations’ Right to Food” in Canada. The report details how longer and more intense forest fire seasons, permafrost degradation, volatile weather patterns and increased levels of precipitation are all affecting wildlife habitat and, in turn, harvesting efforts. The report...
September 29, 2020
Beyond Hunger – The Hidden Impacts of Food Insecurity in Canada”
Community Food Centres (CFC) – Release of “Beyond Hunger – The Hidden Impacts of Food Insecurity in Canada”. Even before COVID-19, food insecurity affected nearly 4.5 million Canadians. In the first two months of the pandemic, that number grew by 39 per cent. Food insecurity now affects one in seven people, disproportionately impacting low-income and...
July 14, 2016
Fire protection on reserves
NationTalk – There is no national fire protection code that mandates fire safety standards or enforcement on reserves. All other jurisdictions in Canada including provinces, territories, and other federal jurisdictions (such as military bases, airports, and seaports) have established building and fire codes. The Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada (AFAC), NIFSC’s parent organization, supports the...