A closer look at the 2021 Federal Budget
April 2020
The federal budget, tabled on April 19, 2021, commits to $18 billion in spending over the next five years for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. In an interview with CBC, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller stated that this amount reflects the seriousness of (the) government to “advancing the closing of the socioeconomic gaps that have undermined our relationship with Indigenous peoples.”
Recognizing and addressing these long-standing gaps, and leveraging an Indigenous-led approach to determine needs and priorities, is a step in the right direction according to Dr. Margo Greenwood, Academic Leader for the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened ongoing systemic and structural inequities affecting the health and well-being First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and communities in Canada. This proposed budget will go a long way to addressing the root causes of these ever-widening health gaps”, she says.
In response to the government’s press release saying it intends to take “a broader approach to (Indigenous) health and well-being… (and recognize) that good health is only possible when basic needs are met, and that education is a key to a healthy future,” Greenwood states that “linking health outcomes to the social determinants in this way bodes well for Indigenous public health.”
Here are a few highlights of the proposed 2021 federal budget relevant to Indigenous public health priorities:
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COVID-19 – To ensure Indigenous communities receive vaccine doses as quickly as possible, the government has pledged $478.1 million in health response and $760.8 million for the Indigenous Community Support Fund.
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Anti-racism support in healthcare – Directly citing “Joyce’s principle”, the government pledges $126.7 million over three years towards equitable access to healthcare without discrimination, and $12.5 million over five years to support the well-being of families and survivors through project-based programming in collaboration with the National Family Survivors Circle.
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On reserve health and social services – Over $2.4 billion is proposed over five years to improve essential health, education, and social services on reserve, including health services in remote and isolated communities and transforming health systems, elementary and secondary education, and on-reserve income assistance.
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Early learning and child care (ELCC) – $2.5 billion is pledged over five years to build on the existing distinctions-based approach to Indigenous early learning and child care (ELCC), with a long-term investment in Indigenous-led programming that parallels the government’s commitment to provinces and territories. This includes $515 million for before- and after-school care on reserve, plus additional support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit programming and capacity-building.
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Preventing gender-based and LGBTQQIA violence – $103.8 million is proposed over five years to support Indigenous communities to develop more holistic community-based safety and wellness models. An additional $55 million is promised over five years to bolster the capacity of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations to provide gender-based violence prevention programming aimed at addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
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Mental health – To ensure Indigenous communities receive vaccine doses as quickly as possible, the government has pledged $478.1 million in health response and $760.8 million for the Indigenous Community Support Fund.
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Mitigating health impacts of climate change – The government has pledged $22.7 million over five years, beginning in 2021-22, to support First Nations and Inuit as they manage the health impacts of climate change, such as access to country food, impacts of extreme weather events, and mental health impacts of climate change on youth.