Indigenous input missing from end-of-life care discussion: professor

As far as Canada’s political parties and medical establishment are concerned, the euthanasia debate is over. The Supreme Court of Canada, Parliament, and the Canadian Medical Association have pronounced their final words on the subject.

But more than 630 Indigenous nations across Canada, plus the Métis and the Inuit, haven’t even been asked, says Dr. Carrie Bourassa, scientific director of the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health and a professor at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine.

“Indigenous communities have to have their own discussions about it. I don’t think we’ve been able to have those kinds of discussions,” said Bourassa.

“I’ve gone to the Senate four times to speak about this and I continually say the same thing. This task rests within Indigenous communities themselves. We need to provide the resources for them so that they can engage in the way that they want to. One size doesn’t fit all.”

Bourassa was one of the presenters at Life Issues: The Indigenous Perspective, an Oct. 5 Zoom panel discussion hosted by the deVeber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research.

Bourassa spoke about end-of-life traditions and decolonizing health care while Indigenous midwives Ellen Blais and Katsi Cook spoke about traditional, Indigenous birthing practices.

“We haven’t made any progress when it comes to improving Indigenous people’s health. Why?” Bourassa asked.

“I believe it’s because it has to come from communities. It has to be about self-determination. That is when we’re going to start to be healthy.”

Bourassa argues that Indigenous communities, no matter how tiny or remote, need the full range of end-of-life options, including hospice and palliative care.

“I don’t care how expensive it is. Everybody should have that opportunity,” she said. “We’re in a first world country. They deserve to have the best of what we can offer in our country.”

Working in palliative care, Bourassa still comes across obstacles to Indigenous health in hospitals.

“I’m still shocked that I go into a hospital and somebody is palliative and they’re not allowed to smudge – that’s their spirituality,” she said. “I still get these horrific emails asking me to help them to share information so that physicians and nurses can understand, in 2021. That’s just not right. It’s ridiculous. But it’s still happening.”