“On this day, we are proud to help mark the first session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations that took place at the United Nations in 1982.
“This year’s theme, ‘COVID-19 and Indigenous Peoples’ resilience,’ illustrates the strong leadership and community connectedness that underlined the actions taken to ensure the safety of their communities.
“To keep people safe, Indigenous communities in Alberta set up checkpoints, engaged in voluntary isolation, set up isolation centres and took multiple preventive measures in an effort to maintain low infection rates. For this, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw recognized them numerous times for their actions.
“Other serious challenges to Indigenous well-being include adequate housing, personal safety and access to economic wealth.
“In a spirit of reconciliation, we are doing our best to address these issues. Actions by Alberta’s government include easier applications for affordable housing, investment in the Aboriginal Business Investment Fund and creation of the Alberta Joint Working Group on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. We also point to the game-changing Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, which recently announced their CEO.
“Alberta’s government is working with Indigenous people to create a brighter future. There is room for all people in Alberta to join these efforts by working together to make life better, in any way possible, throughout the province.”