Indian health care rights a priority

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Treaty Indian rights to health care will be carefully scrutinized during his term of office, said Henry Quinney, the new chairman of the Alberta Indian Health Care Commission.

"Indians should get the same level of health services as any other citizens, a former chief of the Saddle Lake Indian Band of northeastern Alberta.

Quinney was appointed last July to head the commission which ""oversees the policy of the Medical Services Branch (of the National Health and Welfare ministry of Canada) regarding Treaty Indian access to health care."

"Our job is to point out anything that is contrary to the Treaty right to Health care services," said Quinney. "We also help different bands interested in taking over programs in the whole area of health care services."

The federal government has the sole responsibility to provide health services for Treaty Indians, said Quinney, although he did concede that the federal government has limited resources at the present time.

"I hope that there will be more bands moving to take over health programs and medical clinics," he said.

The immediate priorities in the commission's work identified by Quinney are reviewing the health programs transfer process and seeing that health services to Indians are not reduced.

"We really need to review the whole transfer process. Different reserves have expressed concern about the transfer process," said Quinney.

Quinney explained that a review team will be established to look at how the government is transferring health programs to the reserve level. This review team may consist of representatives from the Lesser Slave Lake Regional Council, Hobbema,

Saddle Lake, Blood Band and other interested bands.

The other area of immediate concern for the commission, is the availability of health services because, said Quinney, the government is reducing resources for band-managed health programs.

"The federal government says there are no new dollars, but the present funding level will be maintained," said Quinney.

Quinney believes that problems will result with more people becoming eligible for Treaty Indian health care (through Bill C-31), coupled with the government decision not to increase health care funds.

"That's certainly where the health care service will go down," said Quinney.

"We have to protect the Treaty right to health care, the responsibility of the federal government should always be there, regardless of the cost," said Quinney.

There should be an understanding, by all parties, what Treaty Indian rights mean," added Quinney.

Quinney, 36, has had extensive political leadership experience since 1978, when he first served on the Saddle Lake Band Council for three years.

He was later elected as chief of Saddle Lake and served between 1981 and 1984. Quinney was the Treaty Six co-ordinator for the Treaty 6 Alliance between 1984 and 1985.

He was elected back on the Saddle Lake Council in 1985.

Quinney is currently the secretary of the Blue Quill Education Council and the chairman of the Tribal Justice System of Saddle Lake.