Français

The Northern Indigenous communities in Canada are being disproportionately impacted by the high rates of infant mortality. This issue has a significant and devastating impact on these communities, as it takes away the lives of their most vulnerable members. It also has a ripple effect on families and communities, causing profound grief, trauma, and loss of potential. Take for instance the recent tragedy of a Manitoba infant that died senselessly due to a delayed Medevac flight to the closest emergency department, when his labouring mother needed assistance due to his dangerous breech presentation in the birth canal (video posted below).

The stakes of this issue are high. If things do not change, the lives of countless Indigenous infants will continue to be lost unnecessarily. The perpetuation of this health care inequity also undermines the fundamental values of fairness, justice, and equality in Canadian society. The failure to address this issue not only affects the Indigenous communities themselves but also the wider society, as we all have a responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to adequate health care.

The time to act is now. This issue has persisted for far too long, and immediate action is needed to address the alarming infant mortality rates in Northern Indigenous communities. We cannot continue to ignore the pressing health care needs of these communities and expect things to improve on their own. This is a matter of urgency, and we must act now to ensure that all Indigenous infants have access to the life-saving health care they need and deserve. The Canadian Parliament must take responsibility for addressing this issue, and we call on them to act with urgency and purpose to effect meaningful change. We are a group of Ontario nursing students that need your support and signatures to add to our letter we are sending to parliament once we get at least 100 signatures from other Canadians. We need your help!