Ottawa sends body bags to Manitoba reserves

[Morning-glory]

Aboriginal leaders in Manitoba are horrified that some of the reserves hardest hit by swine flu in the spring have received dozens of body bags from Health Canada.

The body bags — which were sent to the remote northern reserves of Wasagamack and God's River First Nation — came in a shipment of hand sanitizers and face masks.

—Grand Chief David HarperGrand Chief David Harper, who represents northern First Nations, says body bags send the wrong message and no one can understand why Ottawa would do such a thing.

"It really makes me wonder if health officials know something we don't," he said. "I have a right to speak for my people. I make a plea to the people of Canada to work with us to ensure the lowest fatalities from this monster virus. Don't send us body bags. Help us organize; send us medicine."

Harper says it's like sending body bags to soldiers in Afghanistan.

Chief Jerry Knott of Wasagamack First Nation said his community's nursing station received about 30 body bags.

"This disturbed our community members and continues to be a major concern. We had asked for funding so we can get organized and to ensure medicines, hand sanitizers and other preventative kits were in place but, instead, we are shocked to receive the body bags," he said. "To me, this is unacceptable and I am demanding an answer.

"Is the body bags a statement from Canada that we as First Nations are on our own?"

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/09/16/mb-ottawa-body-bags-manitoba.html

[Morning-glory]

I'm hoping that it was a bureaucratic oops, but part of me wonders why anyone would be in such a rush to get body bags up there. And do they even use them?

[Fiona59]

From what I remember from an H1N1 workshop, it's a "special" pandemic body bag, not the standard issue one.

I really wonder what this Band's priorities are though. The Chief had enough funds to fly to Ottawa and dump the box of bags in front of the sending agencies building (accompanied by the media). These are the same Band councils who are complaining of lack of funds for everything related to their health and welfare.

[dscrn]

Have to admit that here in the US, haven't heard of this happening. Seems that everyones "readiness program" really should include some...when you need them-if you need them-wouldn't it make sense to have them available?