Mi’kmaw leaders are concerned by statements by provincial authorities that some Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia may be excluded from the first round of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Regional Chief Prosper said, “The province needs to appreciate what is at stake if our elders get sick. Our old people hold knowledge, language and traditions that we are struggling to protect and maintain. They are at very high risk from COVID-19 and as a result our very future as a people is at risk.”

While it’s fortunate that Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia have been able to prevent the spread of COVID up to this point, there is no guarantee that this will last.

Pre-existing health concerns, along with often inadequate health and sanitation infrastructure, mean that First Nations across Canada face especially high risk from any infectious disease outbreak. While federal guidelines recommend that First Nations should be prioritized in the first round of COVID-19 vaccinations, the National Advisory Committee’s emphasis on remote and marginalized communities, while appropriate in other regions, has been interpreted as excluding some Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia.

“The point that has gotten lost is that the national guidelines call for prioritization of all individuals and communities where COVID-19 has disproportionate consequences” said Regional Chief Prosper. “This is clearly the case for all Mi’kmaw communities, regardless of whether th ...