Amnesty will be connecting activists with opportunities to advocate for Indigenous rights in response to calls from Indigenous communities.
There is no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 yet and it remains unclear whether or for how long we are immune to the virus after recovery. For communities to resist COVID 19 transmission and protect themselves from its far-reaching impacts, we need to make sure every community has the resources they need. Advocate for the federal government to respect Indigenous rights and ensure every community has the resources they need.
1. Send an email
Click here to send an email to the Prime Minister and Minister of Indigenous Services>>
Ask the Prime Minister and Indigenous Services Minister to:
- respect the rights of Indigenous peoples in their emergency response plans.
- respect the specific needs of individual communities and intervene immediately to ensure communities have the resources they need.
2. Show your support on Twitter
Click here to use your online voice to call on the Prime Minister, Minister of Indigenous Services, and your local representatives to respect Indigenous rights at all times
Send an email
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to relax and communities explore life in this new normal, the virus is just beginning to reach and impact more remote and Indigenous communities. Many Indigenous communities have maintained physical distancing and social restrictions since March, but there are concerns specific to each community that affect risk factors and ability to keep members safe and well.
No two communities are the same. Culture, governance, location, and history all shape how a community experiences this pandemic, but there are some shared concerns as well as solutions. Human rights are an important part of an effective public health strategy and Indigenous rights are a holistic body of rights and responsibilities that build connections between people.
In order to understand how a pandemic affects Indigenous communities, we invite you to take some time with these stories: explore the map, watch the short videos, read the histories and background information, and hear directly from people who know their needs and communities best.
Please send an email to the Prime Minister and Minister of Indigenous Services:
Highlight that:
- Chronic underfunding of essential services, including safe water, healthcare services, and housing, will devastate the communities’ ability to prevent COVID-19 transmission. These gaps must be fixed.
- Governments need to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples in their emergency response plans, without repeating the oppression and human rights violations of previous governments.
- Solutions must respect the knowledge and sovereignty of Indigenous communities in order to keep their own people safe and healthy.
- Indigenous communities have the right to the same level and quality of services and supports enjoyed by all Canadians.
- Appropriate responses to this pandemic must be person-first and needs-based to avoid tragedy.
- The government must enact the same rapid and effective response to support Indigenous communities that non-indigenous communities have received.
Send your email to:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Email: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller
Email: marc.miller@parl.gc.ca
Please send a copy to the Premier of your Province or Territory:
Alberta: Jason Kenney premier@gov.ab.ca
British Columbia: John Horgan premier@gov.bc.ca
Manitoba: Brian Pallister premier@leg.gov.mb.ca
New Brunswick: Blaine Higgs premier@gnb.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador: Dwight Ball premier@gov.nl.ca
Northwest Territories: Caroline Cochrane premier@gov.nt.ca
Nova Scotia: Stephen McNeil premier@novascotia.ca
Nunavut: Joe Savikataaq jsavikataaq@gov.nu.ca
Ontario: Doug Ford premier@ontario.ca
Prince Edward Island: Dennis King premier@gov.pe.ca
Quebec: François Legault premierministre@quebec.ca
Saskatchewan: Scott Moe premier@gov.sk.ca
Yukon: Sandy Silver premier@gov.yk.ca