Episode 3: Impact of COVID-19 on Urban First Nations People

What is the impact of COVID-19 on First Nations people living in towns and cities? Jocelyn Formsma, Executive Director the National Association of Friendship Centres says we just don't know and that's a big problem. First Nations People living in urban areas make up about half of the total First Nations population. Many rely on the 107 Friendship Centres her organization works with across the country, and she says they are stretched thin. She tells host Perry Bellegarde, that what we do know is that COVID-19 is being under-reported among Urban First Nations peoples, people are getting infected, and people are dying, but there is no sense of the scale and that is making it difficult to fight this pandemic.Jocelyn Formsma is Executive Director of the National Association of Friendship Centres. Her organization represents 107 local member Friendship Centres and provincial and territorial associations, offering programs and services to First Nations, Metis and Inuit people living in urban areas.A special thanks to the Red Dog Singers of Treaty 4 territory in Saskatchewan for providing the theme music for this podcast.The Ahkameyimok Podcast is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions. [email protected]