NDP MP for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski Niki Ashton was in Ottawa Friday, calling on the federal Liberal government to deliver more health care services to people in the Island Lake region.
The Island Lake region is in northeastern Manitoba, near the Ontario border – just over 600 km northeast of Winnipeg.
Ashton said they need more funding for preventative health and diagnostics, and a hospital.
“The people of the Island Lake region, like many First Nations across Canada, are getting second-class treatment when it comes to health care,” said Ashton in a statement.
This week, community leaders from Island Lake brought their message to Winnipeg, calling for health care services in their region.
Ashton said, there are only nursing stations which don’t meet the demands of the estimated 14,000 residents in the region.
She said many have been forced to move away from home to survive.
“A region of this size requires the services of a hospital. The message to Prime Minister Trudeau is clear – talking about reconciliation means nothing when health care isn’t made available to these communities,” Said Ashton.
Ashton has asked the federal government to call a public inquiry into the health care first nations people receive.
