At the Signing of the Framework Agreement on Health for First Nations People in Manitoba

Speaking Notes
for
Diane Marleau
Minister of Health

Winnipeg, February 16, 1995

Grand Chiefs Fontaine and Muswaggon, Chiefs, Elders, ladies and gentlemen:

I am delighted to be in Winnipeg today to sign this historic Framework Agreement on Health for First Nations People in Manitoba. I have been looking forward to this occasion to join with Manitoba Chiefs, as well as the staff of many First Nations organizations and the First Nations people of Manitoba.

First, I would like to thank the committee members of the First Nations Disability Network for inviting me to attend the world premier showing of the First Nations Disability Video.

I am very pleased to see the work that is being done by and on behalf of First Nations with disabilities.

As Minister of Health this issue has been one of first priorities. I recall a dinner meeting with Chief Fontaine and other members of the AMC in Winnipeg in late March of 1994 where we discussed the framework and treaty rights to health.

It comes as no surprise that this First Framework Agreement for health transfers has come to fruition in Manitoba. Manitoba First Nations have been at the forefront of efforts to develop a new partnership between First Nations people and the federal government, and this Framework Agreement is further evidence of your leadership.

I know that progress on this initiative has not come easily; many of you have been working on this Framework since 1991. This represents the work of many leaders, community workers, staff of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and employees of the Medical Services Branch. I commend all of you for your dedication and commitment, and I congratulate you on this important achievement.

Today, a vision that has been pursued for a number of years takes a giant step closer to reality.

That vision is of a health care system that is directed and managed by the First Nations of Manitoba. A health care system that will be much more responsive to the needs of the people it serves, and that will, we are confident, improve the health of First Nations people.

Today, we are moving from the visionary to the practical level. We are taking a giant step toward the development of a well-defined plan of action that will give life to this exciting concept.

This action plan is based on a very fundamental principle. Real change in the health conditions of First Nations people can and will occur when the approaches and solutions are developed by you with us only as your partner. This is in keeping with the Government's Red Book commitments to involve Aboriginal people more fully in decision making processes and to allow you to control your own health care.

This Framework Agreement on Health establishes a structure and process for negotiations to establish a First Nations health system in Manitoba.

We have all learned a great deal by exploring together a multitude of concepts. The best concepts are captured in this Agreement. These concepts will now lead to a substantive negotiation of a transfer arrangement.

This joint declaration of principles and objectives will guide us over the coming months and years as we lay the groundwork for a new era in health care; an era in which Manitoba First Nations will exercise the maximum possible control over their health services.

The negotiation process will ensure that we work together to establish a health system that will best meet the future needs of Manitoba First Nations. It will enable us to define the roles of all health care providers in relation to First Nations, and to identify areas of cooperation between First Nations and all other providers.

I am confident that the end result of this process will be significant and lasting improvements in the health status of First Nations people.

I am pleased to say that community consultation is one of the guiding principles of this Framework. I believe it is critical to involve people directly in making decisions and choices that will ultimately affect them at the community level.

We have a great deal of work and many challenges ahead of us. Today, however, is a day to celebrate our achievements. We now have a structure and process in place that will enable us to deal with issues more quickly and conclusively. As well, the Government has taken another important step toward fulfilling our Red Book pledge to provide First Nations communities with the tools and resources necessary to tackle health problems.

On behalf of the Government of Canada and Health Canada staff, I want to congratulate you once again on this important achievement. Let me assure you that we will continue to work with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, First Nations and your organizations to fully implement this Agreement and to achieve our mutual goals.

Thank you for joining us today, and good luck in the next phase of negotiations.