Poor health picture for First Nations and Inuit in Canada

A health report released this week confirms that aboriginal peoples’ health is worse than that of Canadians as a whole. While they are making some gains, their lives are still on average five to 10 years shorter than those of other Canadians, says a report by Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), an independent organization mandated by Canada’s health ministers to provide health information.

As dismal as that is, it’s not the end by any means. The report also notes that Aboriginal people in Canada have higher suicide rates, higher infant mortality rates, three times the rate of diabetes, 16 times the rate of tuberculosis, experience worse social, economic and environmental conditions than those of non-Aboriginal people, have lower average educational levels than non-Aboriginal peoples, experience higher unemployment rates, and have lower average incomes than non-Aboriginal people.

That’s a pretty extensive list, but it doesn’t end there

At least 33 per cent of First Nations and Inuit, compared to 18 per cent of non-Aboriginal people, live in inadequate, unsuitable or unaffordable housing, according to data from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. Poor housing has been associated with health problems.

At some point the Federal government will be forced to live up to its obligations towards the Aboriginal people of Canada - the only question is, “How many more people have to kill themselves, die of preventable disease, or live out their lives in substandard living conditions before that happens?”

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