As the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine to remote First Nations in northern Ontario picks up steam, the week promises a lot of phone calls for Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler. "I called [Margaret] because I wanted her to have this conversation with our mom about the vaccine and that my mom needed to give her consent in order to receive the vaccine. (Marc Doucette/CBC)He added that before any vaccinations teams will be sent north, communities need to be prepared to receive the vaccine. Dr. John Guilfoyle, a public health physician with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, added that the priority list of remote First Nations is determined by a range of factors. "There's such a painful history to all this with the health care [system] that historically has been a two-tiered system."

Source: CBC News January 12, 2021 16:18 UTC