Bowinn Ma, MLA North Vancouver-Lonsdale. Source: BC NDP
Bowinn Ma, the MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale, posted a message to Twitter on April 5th, writing “the amount of anti-Indigenous sentiments that I’ve received in correspondence has gone through the roof.” She writes the correspondence is related to Indigenous people being prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
In the message, she says the contents of the mail range from genuinely asking why, to outright racism, adding most of the correspondence falls somewhere in between. But she notes, many of them imply “who is and who is not deserving of a vaccine.”
In her message, Ma calls on Indigenous allies to combat and clarify any misunderstandings as to why Indigenous peoples are being prioritized for the vaccine. She cites the National Advisory on Immunization’s recommendations, systemic racism within the healthcare sector, as well as socio-economic disparities, that lead to lower health outcomes within Indigenous communities.
Her full message can be read here.
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