ANISHINABEK NATION HEAD OFFICE (March 25, 2020) –  Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Glen Hare says that the Anishinabek Nation citizens should stay at home and to follow the recommendations to stay safe to limit exposure to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“The close of 2019 and the year 2020 will be a time remembered by all for a lifetime as we stayed in our homes to ensure the safety of our families, friends and community from COVID-19.  Something we teach our children as they grow up is to wash their hands and clean them well. We remind them to sing a song like ‘Happy Birthday’ while washing hands to help make it fun while washing for 20-30 seconds.  Such simple instructions. We teach our children these simple rules, and now, these rules can have a life-saving impact,” states Grand Council Chief Glen Hare. “We have been working daily within our First Nations to keep our communities safe, especially babies, Elders and the most vulnerable sector. We ask all of you to consider the lives of your fellow community members. We can’t do this alone, we need you to do your part in keeping your families safe and that’s to stay home. Our concerns with enforcement will be implemented as our Elders have always stated, ‘The Creator gave us seven sacred gifts to guide us: Love, Truth, Wisdom, Humility, Honesty and Bravery.’”

The Anishinabek Nation executive leadership and technicians and First Nations leadership and technicians, have been working diligently and jointly to monitor the pandemic as events unfold. Regular contact with government officials remains in place to ensure accurate and most updated information, and to secure necessary supplies and resources for Anishinabek First Nations.

“We work daily with the Leadership of the Anishinabek Nation to look at ways to keep you safe and to ensure we have all of the supplies needed in your communities to ensure you don’t have to go looking for supplies that are not on the shelves in the stores. We will continue to work with all of you to keep our communities safe,” states Grand Council Chief. “We have overcome adversity throughout the ages— smallpox, H1N1, SARs-CoV— and continue to overcome the effects of intergenerational trauma from Residential school and have come out stronger, more resilient and this pandemic is no different. We will come through this too— together!”

 At the close of 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) began monitoring a pneumonia of unknown cause detected in China and issue first guidance on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in January 2020. WHO called for active monitoring and preparedness in other countries, but was not declared an international concern until the following month. Earlier this month, WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic. Shortly thereafter, the Government of Ontario declared a state of emergency. Both federal and provincial governments have been working jointly to maintain citizens updated on the evolving details.

For COVID-19 related information and updates, please visit anishinabek.ca.

The Anishinabek Nation is a political advocate for 39 member First Nations across Ontario, representing approximately 65,000 citizens.  The Anishinabek Nation is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. 

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Laura Barrios, Communications Officer

Anishinabek Nation

Phone: 705-497-9127 ext. 2290

E-mail: laura.barrios@anishinabek.ca