COVID-19 and Indigenous peoples : from crisis towards meaningful change

Summary: "The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across Canada. Although the virus causing COVID-19 affects everyone, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (the Committee) heard repeatedly during the spring and fall of 2020 that First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples and their communities are more vulnerable to it than other Canadians. Many of the vulnerabilities experienced by Indigenous Peoples are rooted in long-standing health and socioeconomic inequities. In this report, the Committee summarizes what witnesses said about some of the inequities that make Indigenous Peoples more vulnerable to COVID-19. The Committee also looked at how the government’s response to the pandemic could be improved. The government needs to make sure that Indigenous communities, businesses and individuals are not left behind during and after the pandemic"