Mushkegowuk Grand Chief Alison Linklater, Kashechewan First Nation Chief Gaius Wesley and MP Charlie Angus Express Equitable Health Care Concerns at Parliament Hill

2023-02-07 | political office

From Left to Right: Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Alison Linklater, Timmins James Bay Member of Parliament Charlie Angus and Kashechewan First Nation Chief Gaius Wesley

PARLIAMENT HILL PRESS CONFERENCE: Debriefing report

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 – 10:00 a.m.

Equitable Healthcare in the Mushkegowuk region continues to be a prolonged issue for the Northern Communities.

The morning of February 7th, myself along with the Kashechewan First Nation Chief Gaius Wesley demanded to be included in the discussions between the provincial, territory, and federal governments regarding the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). As per the Government of Canada:

“The Canada Health Transfer, or CHT, is the largest major federal transfer to provinces and territories. It provides long-term predictable funding for health care and supports the principles of the Canada Health Act (CHA).”

Currently, there is no First Nation Representative in the decision-making of health care funding. The Mushkegowuk region feels it is important to be a part of the discussion as we are most familiar with the issues confronting health care in our communities.

Issues of underfunding and neglect have caused shortages in healthcare resources for numerous years and counting. In light of these issues people are having to leave their homes, families and communities to receive the appropriate health care to heal and lead healthy lives.

“Our community has faced many challenges in terms of health care. Primarily because of the bureaucrat systems, a system that creates so many barriers when our community members are trying to access the proper health care they need”

- Kashechewan First Nation Chief Gaius Wesley

We need to build a dialogue; we currently don’t know what is being discussed because we are excluded.

We express our gratitude to MP Charlie Angus for continuously supporting the work we do. We will continue to push forward because our people deserve Equitable Health Care.

Alison Linklater

Former Grand Chiefgrandchief@mushkegowuk.ca