Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed confidence that provinces will join efforts to fight racism in the health-care system, adding he does not want to jump to any conclusions about how the federal government could make sure that happens.

B次元官网网址淩ight across country, all premiers have condemned racism,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said Friday at a news conference in Ottawa.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still more work to do, obviously, but we are confident that weB次元官网网址檙e going to be able to make significant improvements in the health care accessed by Indigenous Peoples,B次元官网网址� he said.

The issue of anti-Indigenous racism in health care gained new attention from outrage over the treatment of Joyce Echaquan, who used her phone to livestream hospital staff using racist slurs against her as she lay dying in a Joliette, Que., hospital last month.

On Thursday, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said the federal government is ready to use its financial leverage over the health system to fight anti-Indigenous racism there. The provinces are seeking billions more dollars health transfers from Ottawa and Miller suggested adding more money to a health-care system grappling with systemic racism should not be the only solution.

On Friday, Miller said provinces are eager to address systemic racism in the health-care system and B次元官网网址渋t would be careless to suggestB次元官网网址� Ottawa would hold back federal health transfers from the provinces and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

B次元官网网址淏ut what we need to do is ensure that when federal money is invested according to its constitutional power, it is done in a fashion that reflects our values and our moral and legal duty to serve Indigenous Peoples and to ensure that they have first-class health care in the best country in the world.B次元官网网址�

Miller, federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett met virtually with about 400 people Friday, including Indigenous leaders and health-care professionals, to discuss experiences of racism and solutions.

Miller said they will reconvene, with an action plan, in January.

Rebecca Kudloo, the president of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, said the meeting was a good start.

B次元官网网址淭he barriers to good health care is a problem,B次元官网网址� Kudloo said in an interview. B次元官网网址淭he lack of cultural training for health service providers is a problem. WeB次元官网网址檙e sometimes treated like we donB次元官网网址檛 have feelings.B次元官网网址�

Kudloo lives in Baker Lake, Nunavut, where there is only a health centre staffed with nurse practitioners most of the time. People in her community often need to travel to Winnipeg or Iqaluit to get medical services.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of times, diagnosis is delayed,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e pregnant, you go down usually a month before your due date, leaving your other family and your other kids behind.B次元官网网址�

Kudloo said that the government is offering Indigenous people encouraging words but little concrete action.

Bennett said the meeting should remind all institutions that transformative action is expected of them. She said that there is a need for better education, data, surveillance and accountability to stop bad attitudes in the health-care system.

Hajdu said racism is not an accident.

B次元官网网址淭he system is not broken. ItB次元官网网址檚 created this way,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he systems and the people in them are incentivized to stay the same.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE:

She also suggested the federal government can use its financial leverage as positive reinforcement too.

B次元官网网址淲hen we think about health transfers, often theyB次元官网网址檙e thought of in a punitive fashion, but I think we also have to have the promotion of systemic change as well as the punishment of bad behaviour,B次元官网网址� she told a news conference Friday.

EchaquanB次元官网网址檚 husband Carol Dub茅 also spoke during the meeting.

B次元官网网址淲e heard the emotional testimony of a family still living through the shock,B次元官网网址� Miller said.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted to listen to these people.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址斺赌斺赌�

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press B次元官网网址 Fellowship.

Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .

Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation