Indigenous communities face significant challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. High poverty rates, due to limited employment opportunities and the high cost of living in isolated areas, contribute to their vulnerability.
Delivering these facts in the form of a TED Talk online and potentially to colleges and universities would be best because the people who tend to watch and attend those already want to take action and learn, and then they can inform their families and friends as well
All Canadians need to be made aware of this so we can confront the government with these facts and incite change
The government needs to aid the Aboriginals and help repair their reserves
Main Idea
Government mandated COVID-19 practices include washing your hands and socially distancing, both of which many Indigenous families find impossible due to overcrowding and contaminated water
indigenous people have a higher rate of poverty due to lack of employment opportunities and high cost of shipping food etc to isolated communities
Indigenous people have limited access to healthcare, causing them to be highly vulnerable to epidemics and pandemics
Indigenous people have experienced a loss of culture over 150 years and receive little help from the government
Indigenous people don't have easy access to clean water on reserves
Indigenous people are at higher risk of COVID-19 due to overcrowding and other terrible living conditions
Indigenous people have a higher incidence of underlying health conditions (diabetes, tuberculosis) which can make them more susceptible to COVID-19
Data
There are approximately 2,918 First Nations homes under long-term drinking water advisories. This means residents have not been able to even drink tap water from their homes for at least one year, sometimes longer
Increased cost of food and basic necessities in remote communities (Nunavut, etc) causes even more poverty for it's residents
Many Aboriginals are forced to leave their reserve to find appropriate healthcare in a hospital. In some remote communities travel can be very expensive and may prevent them from getting the care they need. There is also a lack of healthcare professionals on-reserve, especially in remote communities
First Nations are experiencing a housing crisis with approximately 85,000 housing units required across Canada. In many cases, multiple families live in one and two-bedroom homes
The K-12 completion rate for First Nations students living on-reserve is 49%. This can contribute to unemployment and poverty
Mould contaminates almost half of all First Nations households
Approximately 25% of on-reserve water treatment systems pose a high health risk
1 in 5 First Nations is a diabetic, that is 3-5 times the national average
The life expectancy of First Nations citizens is 5-7 years less than other non-Aboriginal Canadians
Tuberculosis rates among First Nations citizens living on-reserve are 31 times the national average
1 in 4 children in First Nations communities live in poverty, almost double the national average
Indigenous people have a higher incidence of underlying health issues due to contaminated water and sewage systems or limited access to healthcare
Overcrowding on First Nations reserves is five times as prevalent
Approximately 44% of the existing housing stock on-reserve require major repairs and another 15% require outright replacement.