TREATY 3 TERRITORY– Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister for Indigenous and Treaty Relations MPP Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong) has released a statement following the tragic death of Miranda Heather Mamakwa of Fort Severn First Nation:
“Earlier this week, Miranda Heather Mamakwa, a mother of three, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 31. Her death came less than 5 months after undergoing open-heart surgery and following months of missed follow-up appointments caused by the failure of the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program to arrange travel and accommodations to allow her to attend these necessary appointments.
"Miranda deserved so much better. I want to share my sincere condolences with all who had the honour of knowing Miranda. My heart is with Miranda’s family and loved ones, especially her three young children. Only weeks before her passing, Miranda posted about the NIHB program on her Facebook page, writing: 'If I die, please go after them.’
“First Nations people across northern Ontario have long been raising the alarm about the crisis at the NIHB program and the risks it poses to the lives of people living in northern fly-in First Nations. Only two months ago in June, hundreds of rights holders attended a rally calling for the federal government to take action and fix the NIHB program.
“Miranda’s death was not an accident, but a result of both individual decisions and systemic failures that continue to compromise the lives of First Nations people in this province. It’s time the NIHB program and the federal government take accountability in Miranda’s death and acts to ensure that no more lives are lost because of the program's failures.”
MPP Mamakwa joins the calls by Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority and Nishnawbe Aski Nation for accountability in the death of Miranda Heather Mamakwa and supports the demands for action described in yesterday’s news release.