Healthy communities certainly require basic necessities like clean drinking water and proper housing, but people can’t be healthy unless they also know who they are, said Jane Philpott, a University of Toronto professor and former Member of Parliament.
She likened the state of health care to an iceberg: The part we typically see is the delivery of care – the number of hospitals, health practitioners, and so on. Just underneath the surface are the social determinants of health, such as colonialism, income level, access to education and housing.
But the deepest problem, way at the bottom of the iceberg, is the recognition of health rights. “Most people seek control of their own lives,” Philpott said. “It’s a serious thing to take this right away from someone.” The remedy: Recognize and implement health care rights, listen and empower communities to have control over their own lives.
Philpott delivered the Hallman Lecture, hosted by the School of Public Health and Health Systems, and titled ‘The State of Indigenous Health in Canada: Causes and Consequences” from her perspective as a medical doctor and special advisor to the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, an organization that represents 49 First Nations communities in northern Ontario. She was joined by Jean Becker, senior director of Indigenous Initiatives, Lori Campbell, director of the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre, and Rhona Hanning, professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems, in a panel discussion.
Hundreds of attendees braved the evening’s snow squalls to be at the February 27 event. If you weren’t able to attend, you can view Jane Philpott's lecture below.
