Métis Nation Taking Proactive Measures on COVID-19 Virus

OTTAWA, March 12, 2020 /CNW/ - The Métis Nation is taking preventative measures to minimize risks to Métis Nation citizens and communities during the COVID-19 emergency. Some citizens may already have been exposed to the virus as a result of travel and meetings and are in self-quarantine as a means of prevention. For the time being, the MNC is suspending all meetings.

The MNC will be holding a conference call with members of the Board of Governors today to discuss a strategy to protect Métis Nation citizens, ensure they are not neglected by public health authorities, and communicate the needs of our communities to other jurisdictions and the public at large.

The MNC is concerned that funds allocated to the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch as part of the federal government's COVID-19 response will not be available to Métis Nation citizens.

The Manitoba Metis Federation is already mobilizing some of its resources including mobile homes and two 48-bed secure camps for use in self-quarantine of citizens. They are all fully accessible for citizens with special needs. It is also exploring all options to provide immediate supports to its most vulnerable citizens.

The MNC represents the Métis Nation in Canada at the national and international levels. The Métis Nation's homeland includes the 3 Prairie Provinces and extends into the contiguous parts of British Columbia, Ontario, the Northwest Territories and the United States. There are approximately 400,000 Métis Nation citizens in Canada, roughly a quarter of all Aboriginal peoples in the country.

SOURCE Métis National Council