December 5, 2024
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
Mayor Paul Lefebvre
Mayor of Greater Sudbury
PO BOX 5000, Station 'A',
200 Brady St.
Sudbury, ON P3A 5P3
Dear Mayor Lefebvre:
Re: Calling for the Selection of Indigenous Municipal and Provincial Appointees for Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts
On behalf of the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, I am writing to inform you of a recently adopted Board motion that calls for the appointment of Indigenous person(s) to the Board of Health when vacancies arise. Specifically, at its meeting on June 20, 2024, the Board of Health carried the following motion # 41-24,
WHEREAS the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to ensuring all people in its service area, including Indigenous peoples and communities, have equal opportunities for health; and,
WHEREAS on June 15, 2023, the Board of Health passed Motion #37-23 Indigenous Engagement Governance Reconciliation Framework which supports the advancement of the Indigenous Engagement Strategy at the governance level; and,
WHEREAS Public Health Sudbury & Districts Indigenous Engagement Strategy’s Strategic Direction 1 led to a commitment to promote the selection of Indigenous municipal and provincial appointees to the Board of Health;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health call upon the municipalities in the service area to advocate for the appointment of qualified Indigenous persons, who are grounded in community, have lived experience, are from this territory and reside in Public Health Sudbury & Districts; and
THAT the Board of Health call upon the municipalities in the service area to appoint qualified Indigenous persons, who are grounded in community, have lived experience, are from this territory and reside in Public Health Sudbury & Districts, where more than one representative appointment exists; and
THAT the Board of Health call upon the Province of Ontario to appoint qualified Indigenous persons, who are grounded in community, have lived experience, are from this territory and reside in Public Health Sudbury & Districts.
In Public Health Sudbury & District’s service area, the total population of Indigenous people is 27,600, which is 14% of the population of the district. Of these individuals, 5,700 reside in the 13 First Nations communities in the district. The remaining are considered urban Indigenous people.1 Indigenous people disproportionately experience “poorer reported physical and mental health status, and a higher prevalence of chronic conditions (e.g., asthma and diabetes) as well as disabilities compared to non-Indigenous people” (Hahmann & Kumar, 2022; Hahmann et al., 2019). In addition, the life expectancy of First Nations people, Métis and Inuit has been shown to be consistently and significantly lower than that of the non-Indigenous population (Tjepkema et al., 2019),” 2 as a direct result of the Canadian government’s colonial policies, which have had a reverberating impact on today’s systems.
The Board of Health, which governs Public Health Sudbury & Districts, plays a crucial role in addressing the health disparities faced by the Indigenous population. Its primary focus on planning and policy development, fiscal arrangements and labour relations, and accountability and reporting to the Ministry, positions it with a responsibility in this issue. The Board of Health’s endorsement of The Indigenous Engagement Governance ReconciliAction Framework in June 2023 was a significant step in our commitment to reconciliation. The framework’s first strategic direction is to inform our work through Indigenous community voices and information. The Board understands that it is imperative to the health of Indigenous peoples that an appropriate representative participate when decisions about Indigenous peoples are made. Having Indigenous representation on the Board of Health, will ensure alignment with this commitment. We also hope that it will contribute to answering the Truth and Reconciliation: Call to Action 23, which calls upon all levels of government to “Increase the number of [Indigenous] professionals working in the health-care field.” 3
As the only municipal council that can appoint more than one member to the Board of Health, the City of Greater Sudbury considering an Indigenous municipal appointee to the Board of Health when a vacancy arises is of particular salience. Public Health would be happy to provide a list of candidates for consideration when a vacancy arises.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership, including as we work towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
Sincerely,
René Lapierre
Chair, Board of Health
cc: Dr. M. M. Hirji, Acting Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ministry of Health
Dr. Fiona Kouyoumdjian, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ministry of Health
Nicole Visschedyk, Director of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement, Public Health Ontario
Ontario Boards of Health
- Statistics Canada (2022) 2021 Census
- Yangzom, K., Masoud, H., & Hahmann, T. (2023). Primary health care access among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, 2017 to 2020. Ottawa, Canada: Statistics Canada. Primary health care access among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, 2017 to 2020 (statcan.gc.ca)
- National Center for Truth and Reconciliation. (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. https://ehprnh2mwo3.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Calls_to_Act…