Gathering To Explore Treaty Medicine Chest Concept

Gathering To Explore Treaty Medicine Chest Concept

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 12:41

 

 

A Medicine Chest Gathering is taking place today on the Moosomin First Nation.

 

Over 1,000 people are expected to descend on the reserve for the meeting, which runs through until Friday.

 

Elders’ sacred ceremonials kick off the gathering this afternoon, with the first forum on health issues expected tomorrow morning.

 

Co-chair of the event, A.J. Felix, says it’s important to remember that all Canadians, both First Nations and non are party to the treaties, and thus need to understand the medicine chest clause.

 

He says other treaty areas weren’t as fortunate as Treaty 6 to have the clause included.

 

Felix adds that some of the ideas currently being looked at include the creation of First Nations health districts and a database.

 

Right now, he says, the province is in charge of many areas of health that should be the domain of First Nations and the federal government.

 

“The province provides everything. The provinces are not our treaty partners. The province provides for doctors and nurses, hospitals, prescriptions. The feds don’t do anything. The feds only provide money to the province to provide us those services,” Felix says.