In response to this, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq just issued the following:
WINNIPEG – Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq made the following statement following reports that several body bags had been delivered by Health Canada to a First Nations community in Manitoba:
“During a conference call with First Nations organizations yesterday morning it was brought to my attention that there were reports out of Manitoba that Health Canada had delivered body bags to a remote First Nation Community in that province as part of H1N1 preparations for the Fall.”
“What happened is unacceptable. It was insensitive and offensive. As Minister of Health and as an aboriginal I am offended. To all who took offence at what occurred, I want to say that I share your concern and I pledge to get to the bottom of it. I have ordered my Deputy Minister to conduct a thorough and immediate inquiry into the situation. I will make the result of the inquiry public. I will continue to work with First Nations communities and the provinces and territories to ensure all Canadians are informed and protected against H1N1.
“I was born and raised in remote communities and I understand the challenges better then anyone – that's why I have met frequently with First Nations organizations. Anyone suggesting that our Government's solution to H1N1 is body bags is sensationalizing this situation.
“There is strong co-operation taking place with First Nations people at the community, regional and national levels, as well as with provinces and territories, to ensure that all Canadians are informed of and protected from the H1N1flu virus. As Health Minister I am fully committed to these efforts.”
Any Politician hitching his wagon to this issue, in order to score political points, needs to give their heads a shake. What a disgrace, Ignatieff needs some new advisors, likewise for the Aboriginal leaders waving around the bodybags for the cameras, while sputtering on about some alternate reality. What a sad way to get your point across, H1N1 kills period.
“as an aboriginal I am offended”
When aren't “aboriginals” offended. Aboriginal is an adjective, not a noun, by the way, and as an Inuit, is she even considered aboriginal? Inuit aren't considered First Nations, for example, because they arrived very recently, only about 1,000 years ago, wiping out the Dorsets who preceded them in a genocide. If Inuit are “aboriginal” after only having been here 1,000 years then it's fair to call European peoples who have been here for 500 years aboriginal too.
David, I hope I can count on you to treat this female Inuit the same as you would a white male. You are a white male too and I've got news for you: your love for your fellow leftists – leftists of colour, immigrants, and women – is unrequited. You're an old white male, they hate you.
Why on earth you consider fellow white males as the enemy – and I'm sorry, David, but you do – while you bend over backwards to try to get women and ethnics who hate your guts to like you is beyond me. Listen to me now, believe me when you end up on the pogey line. You know as well as I do your profession is being “cleansed” of whites and of men and your commentary here should reflect that.
This is a shame. First that this mistake was made – it's quite obviously an error and/or a serious case of poor judgement, but it's not a scandal and it's not a message to first nations communities; and second that the Minister was forced to make such a big deal about it. We may be able to quibble with whether or not the Government has moved quickly enough on H1N1 (I think so, but others may disagree), but to suggest that they have thrown in the towel or that body bags are their only solution is utterly absurd.
It is shame that Canadian politics is so charged with fears of offence (or advantage being taken by opponents) that a decent Minister is forced “launch a formal investigation” into a stupid mistake. As a member of Canada's first nations, she should have been able to say much more firmly that this was a screw up – nothing more – and that she can personally attest to the commitment her government has to this issue and to first nation communities.
But, alas, this is not the time we live in. These days – a dumb clerical error (even one in as poor taste as this one) results in investigations, accusations and apologies.
Wow … no wonder people are skeptical.