Nothing new in health report on Native children

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It's a time-worn story. One that's been screamed from the rooftops, and has fallen upon deaf ears almost since the time of first contact with European society. The plot centres around disparities between the quality of life for Aboriginals and that of the population in the rest of Canada. The latest chapter comes from the Canadian Institute of Child Health, in the form of a profile on the health of Canada's children.

Aboriginal children are living in the most dire of circumstances, reads a section of the report. The social conditions in their communities include domestic violence, substance abuse and suicide. They live in overcrowded, substandard housing. Their future seems bleak.

Harsh criticism but it's telling us nothing we don't already know. The profile is the second of its kind from this organization in the past five years. The call to action we tout loud and strong then, but "it appears that little has changed," since.

Shall we add this report to the mountain of other such reports Canada has successfully ignored about the plight of Aboriginal people in this, one of the wealthiest countries in the world? Shall we pile it on top of the1992 and 1993 annual reports of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, in which Canada's record of bringing equity to Aboriginal communities is slammed time and time again?

The words of the commission should still be ringing in the nation's ears. "The plight of Native Canadians is by far the most serious human rights problem in Canada," the 1993 report reads.

"If there is one thing that has consistently tarnished (Canadaas) image, however, it is the sad history of its relationship with its Aboriginal peoples," condemns the 1992 report.

Have Canadians heard?

These are among the many studies found in the pile of reports. They include, among others, those completed by Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. All of them sending the same message: Take action now.

The concern for Aboriginal health and welfare is not new. Although these reports are all quite recent in terms of the length of time Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals have been interacting in Canada, they are only repeating a haunting refrain. In fact, the Children's Institute report makes reference to comments made about the inequality of Aboriginal health by the Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs circa 1903.

At what point do we decide to stop talking about the problem and start doing something about it? An announcement that an additional $243 million would be designated to Aboriginal health issues over the next five years from the federal government conveniently came a day before the Canadian Institute's child health profile was released. Could this mean the flood gates are finally open? Have the studies finally hit their mark?

Let's remember that money is only part of the solution. The political will to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people has got to be the driving force. The feds can throw millions of dollars into the black hole known as Aboriginal health, but unless there is a true desire to change the lot of Canada's first people the dollars could be wasted.

This money must be used in an honest and forthright attempt at helping Aboriginal people achieve optimum health. Each one of us has a responsibility, an obligation, to ensure this happens. If the voice of the people has finally been heard, let's seize the moment and ensure a healthy, promising future for our children.