Health committee  We're seeing some interesting headway being made in telehealth or use of other technologies to diagnose early, to stabilize prior to having to leave. Absolutely, it's a challenge not having health care professionals in the community to stabilize whatever is required remotely and

Health committee  Certainly this is a whole other area of first nations policing and the ability of band constables through the various agreements we're seeing across the country. Again, there is a reduction of funding in these areas and fewer band constables being available in first nations, so i

Health committee  In fact, that's part of what I was referring to. We're very fortunate to have as an ambassador for something we call IndigenAction, Waneek Horn-Miller, to go out and talk to youth about the importance of how she became an Olympian and the level to which sport was important to he

Health committee  On this issue, that's absolutely where we're pushing. The meeting with the minister will be important in this regard. We talked about different areas.... Things like the first nations mental wellness continuum are areas where there are opportunities to collaborate in the ways y

Health committee  Trying to sidestep the minefield here a little bit, I don't think there is any question it certainly is problematic. The kinds of cuts that are being sustained now by regional and national organizations as a result of budget 2012 cuts will absolutely have an impact. Our core fun

Health committee  On that as well, I think there have been some examples, more in urban areas, of programs like the cultural connections for aboriginal youth, which has recently merged with the urban aboriginal strategy, which really provides youth with an opportunity to develop culture, recreatio

Health committee  Absolutely.

Health committee  In fact there is no new first nations education act. There is a rejection of the previous first nation education act and a commitment to introduce a first nations control of first nations education act. That agreement was based upon the Prime Minister and the national chief outli

Health committee  I don't think there's been one action that got us to this situation today and there won't be one reaction that gets us out of this situation today. I think frankly the residential school apology, the example of the kind of recognition of programs potentially in areas like educati

Health committee  Certainly we don't get that kind of direct feedback at our level. What we hear about are the delisted programs and the things that aren't being funded by non-insured health benefits. I think our engagement is slightly different. We certainly encourage and support those monitori

Health committee  I think we're very supportive of that, of the delisting of those that are obviously being abused through different kinds of systems. I think the challenge is where there's this replacement generic drug that is a replacement that actually has the same potential for addictive prope

Health committee  Absolutely. There's a new generic formula of oxycodone that has been approved, and that new generic formula, we understand, is not tamper resistant and can be used. So of course we would look at that no longer being available.

Health committee  That's the great thing about speaking after Carol, I don't have to say as much. One of the things I may add though is that the B.C. agreement—the health devolution agreement—may really hold some promise for consideration across the country. I think here is an example where first

Health committee  Very quickly...absolutely. You should also know that we are also doing regional and national work on the non-insured health benefits program to strategize on our side, the first nations political leadership side, including a national forum to be held in Toronto in March, which is

Health committee  Just recently I had conversations with the chair of the First Nations Health Council around some of these issues. Of course, this is very new; they are months into it. His description of it is that it allows them to focus their priorities on areas in which they need funding. He s