In this morning’s (Saturday April 25th) Cabinet Committee update, Canada’s Minister of Indigenous Services noted how this week has seen an increase in the case count in First Nations communities.
Marc Miller says as of April 24th there have been 95 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and First Nations communities on reserve and 14 confirmed cases in Nunavik Inuit communities.
Miller also reports in addition to supplies provided by provinces and territories, ISC has dispatched 160,000 gowns and half a million gloves and close to 200,000 surgical masks in communities.
He also points to positive progress today in terms of support for urban Indigenous populations.
Miller says this week 94 programs were supported through the Indigenous Community Support Fund.
Miller says he is working quickly to get the funds out of the door for the 94 accepted submissions and that ISC has streamlined the process so that funds can flow directly to Indigenous communities in groups across the country in very short order.
He also reassured Indigenous students saying the Prime Minister’s recently announced Canada emergency student benefit with the New Canada Student Service Grant and the enhanced Canada Student Loans program is over and above the base finding each indigenous distinctions based program receives to support post-secondary education.
Miller says these programs will continue to offer support by covering costs such as support for living travel counselling and other support expenses to ensure the success of Indigenous students.
