General

To: Canada

  1. In order to address and improve social determinants of health, provide sufficient funding:
    1. For the building and upgrading/repair of sufficient housing units suitable to the conditions in Northern communities that will address the critical housing shortage and overcrowding that exists in NAN First Nations.
    2. To review the current water treatment systems in individual communities and identify the need for any upgrades to ensure that NAN First Nations community members have access to safe, healthy, potable water, immediately and in the future. Funding for the projected improvements to the water treatment systems should be provided by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).
    3. To review the wastewater systems in individual communities and identify the need for any upgrades to ensure that NAN First Nations community members have access to a safe, healthy sewage disposal system in the future that will not compromise the First Nation’s drinking water supply. Funding for the projected improvements to the wastewater system should be provided by INAC.
    4. To develop an antipoverty strategy for NAN First Nations community members, and to assist individual First Nations in creating economic opportunity that emphasizes self-reliance, local control, and the relationship between the people and the land.
    5. To develop a sustainable funding framework and plan to address housing needs into the future, based upon population growth expectations. This framework should include a budget for on-going housing maintenance.

To: Canada, Ontario and NAN

  1. In order to achieve parity of services, community health and safety, and quality of life as between First Nation and non-First Nation communities, develop a method for measuring and establishing equivalence in health outcomes and services between NAN communities and non-First Nation communities. The unique characteristics of remote NAN communities should be addressed.
  2. In consultation with youth and Elders commencing in 2016, develop a suicide prevention strategy to address the continuing inter-generational suicide trauma experienced by children and youth in the remote NAN First Nation communities. The federal and provincial government should fund the strategy development and implementation.

To: Canada and Ontario

  1. Assist NAN First Nation communities in the development of a comprehensive mental health program for children, youth and adults. This program should consider the need for integrated mental health services including models which incorporate traditional practices as defined by the individual First Nation.

To: Ontario

  1. Work with the Federal government and First Nations to improve consistency, enhance coordination, and increase resources to support mental health and wellness, including programs on-reserve.
  2. Review and revise the Ontario Public Health Standards where appropriate and/or develop guidance documents to support the interpretation of the Ontario Public Health Standards, with regard to the provision of services in First Nations communities. These documents should be made available to the people living in First Nations communities.

Addressing youth substance abuse issues on-reserve

To: Canada, Ontario and NAN

  1. In order to raise awareness among youth regarding issues relating to alcohol/substance misuse, through Health Canada, the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, the Ministry of Finance, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, and others, develop and deliver health promotion materials aimed at educating Indigenous youth on-reserve regarding the consequences of alcohol/substance misuse.

To: Canada and Ontario

  1. In order to assist First Nations youth in all First Nation communities dealing with addiction issues, address the need for more comprehensive addictions programs by:
    1. developing detoxification programs
    2. funding a culturally-based treatment program and facility that would utilize Elders
    3. funding aftercare programs for youth leaving addictions treatment programs.

To: Canada

  1. In order to respond to the ongoing issue of substance and alcohol misuse in First Nations communities, increase funding to the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP).