Canada anger at 'flu body bags'

BBC News Article

Canada's health minister has ordered an investigation after body bags were sent to aboriginal reserves as part of supplies to deal with swine flu. The body bags were delivered this week to First Nation communities in Manitoba province which were hard hit by a swine flu outbreak a few months ago. Community leaders said they were "horrified" when they saw the bags. Health officials have apologised for any alarm caused and say the bags were just sent as routine restocking. Ordering an inquiry, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said the actions of the Health Canada department were unacceptable, insensitive and offensive. "As minister of health and as an aboriginal, I am offended," she said in a statement on Thursday. "To all who took offence at what occurred, I want to say that I share your concern and I pledge to get to the bottom of it." We regret the alarm this incident has caused Jim Wolfe, Health Canada First Nations leaders said dozens of body bags had been sent to remote northern indigenous communities, which have suffered a disproportionate number of severe cases of swine flu. "I was very disturbed and actually frightened that they're actually shipping that number of body bags to the communities," Manitoba Grand Chief Ron Evans told the Associated Press. "I thought they were preparing for what the experts were predicting." Jim Wolfe, the regional director of the First Nations and Inuit branch of Health Canada, said that the body bags had been sent to reserves as part of general medical supplies for winter. "We really regret the alarm this incident has caused and it was unintended. We order these supplies as a matter of routine business and... this was part of a very normal restocking process," he said. Ties were already strained between aboriginal communities and the government, after Health Canada delayed sending hand gel to some reserves amid concerns it would be abused by alcoholics. Health Canada has recorded 76 deaths across the country attributed to the H1N1 virus.

They sure know how to drive the fear into people by the looks of it!

[edit on 18-9-2009 by blackhatchet]

There is an existing thread here: Ottawa sends body bags to Manitoba reserves

and here: Bobdy bags for flu "assisatnce"....

and here: Manitoba chiefs furious after Ottawa sends body bags to flu-stricken reserves


Please add your comments to the ongoing discussion(s).

Thank you

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