Indigenous health: Cree Community of Quebec

I have grown to learn more about indigenous people in the last three or four years. Being a big fan of Gord Downie, I was deeply shaken by his work on the Secret Path, telling the story of a 12 y.o. boy, Chanie Wenjack, who ran away from residential school and died on his return home (Downie, G. & Lemire, J., 2016). I have to admit that before hearing those songs and seeing the movie, I knew very little of this part of the story of the indigenous people of Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGd764YU9yc

I specifically got to learn more about the Cree Community living in Northern Quebec as my sister and her spouse have moved to Chisasibi, QC about two years ago. They both work for the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB). One works in the finance department and the other is a manager in the Cree Patient Services Department (Wiichihiituwin). The CBHSSJB in partnership with the Quebec Government provides health and services to 9 communities to the Cree Territory of James Bay (Cree Health, n.d.). Here is an interview I did with her to share with the group some initiatives happening in Quebec.

Interview with E. Lambert, 2019

Q: What brought you to apply to work for the Cree Community?

When I was on maternity leave, my boyfriend had an offer to work for the CBHSSJB in Chisasibi. We thought it was a great opportunity to discover a new culture and a part of Quebec we barely knew of. After my leave, I got a contract with the Finance department, then applied for a manager position within the Wiichihiituwin department. This department organizes medical appointments, transportation, meals and lodging for Cree beneficiaries who need to travel outside the territory for medical services. It's been a great experience so far, both personally and professionally.

Q: What bias and discrimination regarding indigenous people have you seen since working for the board?

A: I sometimes witness bias when services are given outside the territory. I find that most people know very little about their story and what they have lived (and still live) as a nation. If there was more awareness, people would be more respectful and understanding.

Q: What have you learned so far from working with this population that has changed you as a professional?

A: As the organization grows, the wellness of the people and the community stays at the centre of what we do. The population is consulted during health assemblies to determine what should be the orientations of the board for the years to come. Coming from the private sector, I find it so much rewarding to get to help people have access to health care everyday.

Q: Is there any programs or policies that have recently been instated to improve the quality of care of indigenous people of Quebec?

A: There are of course many initiatives happening within the board. Two great examples would be a pilot project of home dialysis and having midwives available within the communities so that women can deliver their babies in the community. We received excellent news this fall that a new General Hospital will be built in Chisasibi. This will be of immense help to the communities.

Q: How do you ensure of the continuity of care when a member from the community is sent to the city at the moment for specialty care?

A: We have nurses, interpreters and social workers who are employed in some hospitals in Montreal specifically for our clients and who are liaising with the healthcare professionals working in our communities for follow-ups.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

A: We are always striving to do better in healthcare but also to empower the people of the communities. We are currently moving towards an even more inclusive approach. I was just at a conference this week to learn about the NUKA system. This system was first put in place by the Native population of Alaska. You should look it up and share it with your group!

I was now burning in curiosity to know more about the NUKA system and quickly continued my research. I found so much good information that I believe it deserved its own blog post. Richmond and Cook (2016) say that ''Canada’s current Aboriginal legislation and health policy framework is rooted in the historic relationship between Canada and Indians living on reserve, and thus does not adequately address the health care needs of the Métis or First Nations and Inuit people who either are not registered or do not live on reserve or in their traditional territory ''(para. 16). Let me peak your interest about reading my next post: the NUKA system takes a drastic turn in health care delivery while keeping up with customer satisfaction with respect for their cultures and traditions (Gotlieb, 2013).

References:

Bell, S., & Herodier, C., (2019, Oct 8) Quebec Cree community to get regional hospital CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/chisasibi-hospital-funding-1.5313261

Cree Health (n.d.) Retrieved from: https://www.creehealth.org/

Downie, G. & Lemire, J. (2016), The Secret Path, Retrieved from: https://secretpath.ca/

Gottlieb K. (2013). The Nuka System of Care: improving health through ownership and relationships. International journal of circumpolar health, 72, 10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21118.

Lambert, E. (2019, November 17) Phone Interview.

Richmond, C.A.M., Cook, C. (2016) Creating conditions for Canadian aboriginal health equity: the promise of healthy public policy. Public Health Rev 37, 2