Toronto Star: "Indians Destroying Medicare"

A Saskatchewan native band, the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, has recruited European investors to open a private, for-profit MRI clinic on their land. And the Toronto Star, not known for its opposition to aboriginal self-government, is demanding that Ottawa step in and put dem Injuns in their place:

The Saskatchewan government objects because it sees this scheme for what it is: An attempt to breach the Canada Health Act by introducing two-tier medicine in the province.

But the province fears it is powerless to stop it. First Nations, such as the Muskeg Lake Cree, are exempt from provincial rules. Aboriginal-run medical facilities do not have to live by the health act, which forbids queue-jumping for those who can afford to pay for medical service.

So, it's over to Ottawa. Health Minister Pierre Pettigrew and the rest of the federal cabinet should put a stop to this immediately.

The Saskatchewan proposal is viewed as a test case for bands across the country. Already, in Alberta, the Siksika First Nation is prepared to start its own health-care clinic that may also offer for-profit services.

In recent years, Ottawa has moved toward granting native bands the right to self-government, including control of their health-care systems.

But surely the intent was to give bands the ability to tailor programs for their members, not to undermine the health system for others.

"Y-y-you m-mean 'self-government' means they can do things we don't like? No one told us that!"

When the courts have exempted aboriginals from certain hunting and fishing regulations, as we've seen in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British Columbia, I don't remember the Toronto Star getting too upset about it. I must say, I'm shocked by how shallow their enthusiasm for aboriginal self-government has turned out to be.

I gotta admit, I kind of hope we see a major court battle over this, complete with native activists accusing the Star's editorial board of "patriarchy" and "racism". I wonder if Joseph Atkinson foresaw anything like this?

(via The Roadkill Diaries)

Posted by damian at May 11, 2004 05:44 PM