Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Kuei.
My name is Mike Mckenzie and I'm the chief of the Uashat-Maliotenam First Nation.
I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak today, on behalf of the chiefs of the nine Innu nations in Quebec, representing a population of about 20,000.
On March 22, we agreed to develop a strategic unit to help us jointly respond to the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
We receive help from high-level experts on medical and psychosocial matters, and I'm joined here by Dr. Stanley Vollant, an Innu doctor and surgeon, who is one of our experts. He will also speak to you.
We believe that the strategic unit enabled us to better coordinate our local actions. We were forward-thinking, like our ancestors. We anticipated and showed innovation by working together to better support ourselves. Our collective leadership reflects our pride as an Innu people. The health of our people is the priority, and we are committed to continuing what we have been doing.
As elected officials for our territories, located in the administrative regions of Côte-Nord and Saguenay—Lac-St-Jean, we are very concerned. Our people are vulnerable to this pandemic because of the high risk of spread. A spread could be serious if we aren't able to maintain the staffing levels we scambled to put in place to keep our communities safe. For example, we chose to keep our schools closed in all of the communities and have offered innovative learning methods and personalized educational support.
One of the key questions is the following. What measures has the federal government taken to ensure that the health and safety activities in our communities will be maintained?
Since the pandemic is far from being eradicated, herd immunity is not a possibility right now, and there will not be a vaccine available for several months, we want the federal government to provide a clear plan for the future, to complement our local plans, and to include the first nations governments in the implementation of the plan.
We are calling on the federal government to support our measures through the following actions in the short, medium and long term. The measures involve health; social services; education; public safety; management and protection of the Nitassinan; and economic opportunities.
We are prepared to start gradually reopening. The government must maintain and increase its support to our businesses in order to protect what we have. Our economic levers must be maintained and supported to bridge the gaps and stay afloat in the quest for financial autonomy.
We must remember that our realities are unique and that we always have to fight for what is obvious. The spectre of federal and provincial authorities is always there and can often delay what is obvious. In fact, political good will is the ingredient that allows us to consolidate efforts and make a real difference.
We stepped up as a nation. We are also reaching out to show that the current crisis must serve as a lesson to do things another way, in order to save human lives.
Tshinashkumitinau. Thank you very much.