Aglukkaq facing public backlash over using "Aboriginal identity" to defend health cuts

3 thoughts on “Aglukkaq facing public backlash over using "Aboriginal identity" to defend health cuts”

1. To be fair, that’s why she’s there, to shield the government from criticism by throwing her “identity” in people’s faces. What’s most galling is that she is presiding over devastating cuts to grassroots Aboriginal women’s health programs. It’s all part of the government’s dirty games.

2.  https://twitter.com/#!/leonaaglukkaq Tell her what you think about all the cuts to Aboriginal programs.

3. I concur with Romeo Saganash. “It was a fair question..”

   I watched this and saw nothing that should cause Aglukkaq to

   throw that accusation at the Liberal Aboriginal Affairs Critic Carolyn
   Bennett. Leona Aglukkaq is the Health Minister and aboriginal people are
   facing several cuts which are alienating the people from services that
   are needed. True to form, the Conservatives attack those that are most
   marginalized. APTN even tried to offer a chance for Aglukkaq to respond.
   The calls weren’t returned. Silence is loud and it begs the question.
   Did Aglukkaq use her ethnicity to deflect the legitimate criticism?

   She constantly uses the coin of cutting services that don’t deliver
   direct health care services. Aglukkaq said in an interview with CBC that
   her department is only cutting funding to groups that do not provide
   direct health care services.
   “My priority was to protect the
   frontline health care services of all nursing stations in First Nations,
   Inuit communities throughout Canada as well as to protect the funding
   to the province and territories who actually deliver front-line health
   care services and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” she said. Aglukkaq
   noted that nursing stations are able to deliver health promotion and
   prevention programs such as the ones provided by Pauktuuit.
   The
   problem with her cuts is that it will impact on delivery of care. The
   nurses are burdened and cannot spread their time to issues involving
   preventative care.

   I picked this off Leona’s page.
   “I intend to ensure that the North has a strong voice in Ottawa as we pursue the issues that matter to you.

   I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote in this election and
   also remind all of you of the importance of voting. I have been working
   non-stop since coming to Ottawa and I intend to be the hardest working
   Member of Parliament that the North has ever had.” http://www.leonaaglukkaq.ca/about/message-from-leona/

   It appears that her message has been lost and that she is not that strong voice for Nunavut as they had hoped she would be.

   http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_health_indicators_report_plays_down_territorys_grim_health_sta
   http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/about_apropos/reports/nunavut-eng.php

   So while First Nations, Inuit, Metis receive severe cuts on much needed
   programs, the Senate are tightening their belts to show their
   willingness to err..endure?
   They cut one canteen away. That is hardship.(sarcasm) They do have four
   other subsidized canteens they can go to. Not surprising that it would
   be Conservative Senator and former Party President Donald Plette that
   pouted all the way to the next canteen.

   Now, I admit that the
   Senate are cutting back by 5 percent over the next three years. Far cry
   from 100 per cent cuts for NAHO,(National Aboriginal Health
   Organization). Although, NAHO did want to wind down the organization and
   split up into Pan-Aboriginal Centers of First Nations, Inuit and Metis.
   Instead, it they got nothing. 100 per cent cuts were also made to
   Native Women’s Association of Canada health budget,as well as the Metis
   National Council and Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. Inuit Tapiriit
   Kanatami health/research budget cut by 40 per cent. Pauktuutit Inuit
   Women of Canada also suffered cuts, 800k taken out. And since the
   government doesn’t want First Nations to be able to collect and use data
   against them they decided to do a lobotomy on the First Nations
   Statistical Institute 40 percent with total cut by 2013-2014.

   Conservative meeting: So whose life is more important Aboriginal people
   or wildlife? Hands go up for Wildlife. They got a cool 50 million for
   two years.

   Let me add another ingredient to this sour soup,
   NAHO wanted to create a new model, not get it’s legs cut off. Then the
   government turns around and gives 44 million to the Canadian Grain
   Commission to reform their funding model.

    If your frustrated as I am, write to Leona. http://www.leonaaglukkaq.ca/

   MaryAnn
   Owen Sound, On

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