Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 31st, 2018

[Grand Chief Abram Benedict]

In response to that, one of the challenges we face with respect to data as a whole is the infrastructure and the financial support to put those systems together. We always have competing interests for all kinds of infrastructure, whether it be IT infrastructure, roofs over the long-term care facility, or financial infrastructure. We struggle daily with this in trying to balance all of that.

The challenge in introducing a data system that may integrate all of our organizations—we have eight departments within the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne—is instituting that infrastructure. It's the cost to institute that infrastructure, as well as the training components and the maintenance components, right? That really would be a huge bulk of a challenge to get over.

Of course, as you know, when we're all identifying priorities in budgets, are we going to create more beds or are we going to put some data infrastructure in...? That's what it comes down to at the end of the day. Although there's an understanding that data is extremely important for planning purposes, reporting purposes, and transparency purposes, for us that's what it always comes down to.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

CIHI does some pretty good data collection. Has there ever been thinking about that partnership with CIHI?

[Grand Chief Abram Benedict]

We have partnered in the past with other institutions for some data collection in specific areas, of course, respecting all of the principles that Keith has outlined. It is a possibility, but again, I think it comes back down to the infrastructure investments and maintenance of being able to do that.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Do you have an electronic health records system within your community and does it talk to the outside, both Ontario and Quebec, facilities or do you have medical summaries that move back and forth?

[Keith Leclaire]

I'm happy to say that we've just entered into an agreement with Connecting Ontario to be able to start the development of EMR directly with our groups.

The town of Cornwall is right next to us and the major hospital that provides that service is not yet with Connecting Ontario. In fact, we can get our services from the tertiary services out of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital and CHEO. We have no problem, we can get that back directly now.

The problem though is that this is a new process, so we're at the beginning stages and I think we do hope that we can get that taken care of. That's just for the Cornwall Island side. We still have to do our negotiations with Quebec for the Quebec side. Again, there are different nuances and different peculiarities in both provinces.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

It's very complicated because these borders are just so artificial compared to the history of your nation.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I had just one quick question.

You have a 30-bed and a 50-bed facility right now on the territory.

How many people do they employ?

[Keith Leclaire]

The total amount for the long-term care facility of 50 beds is roughly 70 to 75, depending on the resourcing we can get. The other one is roughly half that size, about 30 to 35.

Again, the majority of our people are all from our communities and especially for Iakhihsohtha, the elders lodge, we try to ensure that the people who are working there are fluent in our language.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

So they're very good, long-term, well-paying jobs.

[Keith Leclaire]

Put it this way, we would love for you to come and see, Mr. Bossio, and I think you would be able to get the reaction—not from me or Chief Benedict—but from the staff who work there.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

As well, what's good about this is that the more we can satisfy this need and other similar needs in the health care realm, the more good jobs we can create to help create that sustainability within the communities themselves.

Akwesasne, like the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, are more in the south so there is spillover that they can work on and off reserve. But in other more remote places, these can provide the employment that so many desperately need in our communities.

[Keith Leclaire]

Yes, Mr. Bossio.

I think the important thing too is, I do want to highlight, that one of the strengths we have is the wisdom of our leadership. The leadership have asked me to come to work here. I was working in a northern community, the isolated northern community of Kawawachikamach in northern Quebec, when the council asked me to come in to be interviewed.

The one thing that I'm bringing with me is the wisdom of what I've seen. I was around first nations health in 1980 when Monique Bégin was here. I remember the 1979 Indian health policy. When you're talking about the smaller communities, you can apply the concepts of what we're using here in Akwesasne, provided you can get concurrence at a tribal council level because then you would amass the same population levels. You would also amass probably the same types of services. Again, that has to be negotiated among the first nations in the smaller groups, but that opportunity is there and we'd be willing to share our wisdom of what we have here.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I really wish I'd had the time because the main question I'd wanted to ask was around this. You're leading the way somewhat in providing these services, and that example that could be provided to those communities that want to get into those services. I would really like to see if you could submit a brief that would maybe cover off some of that aspect of it, so that we can consider it as part of the report.

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Thank you for coming.

The meeting is adjourned.