Grand Chief Dumas responds to death upon transport of First Nation citizen

May 27, 2021

Treaty One Territory, Manitoba

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Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) issues this statement in response to recent news regarding the death of a First Nation patient who died during an attempt to transport the patient out of province.  

“On behalf of the Assembly, I want to first and foremost extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the First Nations patient on the passing of their loved one. Losing a friend and family member is always very difficult, however, these circumstances have made it even more difficult. For that, I keep the family in my thoughts at this time,” said AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.  

Grand Chief Dumas went on to state, “The AMC along with Pandemic Response Coordination Team (PRCT) members will work with our clinical partners at Shared Health to understand the protocols in place for assessing patients for possible transport out of province at this point and will continue to consider the impacts for First Nations citizens in this regard. We will further endeavour to work with our surveillance and epidemiology partners to monitor the number of First Nation patients being sent out of province and discuss the processes for consent to travel from patients prior to transport.” 

“Our priority remains the care and wellbeing of all First Nations citizens. The AMC has communicated numerous times the concerns raised by First Nation leadership regarding First Nation patients being sent out of province to urban centers.  Leadership and the family of these patients have specific significant concerns about anti-Indigenous racism within the health care system which includes recent events in Thunder Bay. We are frustrated that the Provincial government has dragged its heels this long in implementing proper and effective Public Health Orders to stop the COVID-19 outbreak and that health services in this province has come to this dire of circumstances. The AMC will continue to advocate on behalf of all First Nation patients at this time,” concluded Grand Chief Dumas. 

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