• NAMHR Graduate Awards and Post Doctoral Fellowships
• NAMHR Small Research Awards
• NAMHR Summer Student Internship
• IPHRC Graduate Student Scholarships
• Manitoba NEAHR Health Research Awards
• Kloshe Tillicum Undergraduate Training  Opportunities 2012
• Kloshe Tillicum Graduate Student Awards 2012
• Kloshe Tillicum New Investigators Awards 2012
• Nasivvik Graduate Scholarships (MA, MSc, PhD)
• Nasivvik Undergraduate Summer Internship Awards
• IHRDP Community-based Research Funding

Please visit the Aboriginal Health Resource Directory Funding and Training Opportunities

The first article, “Health of First Nations children living off reserve and Métis children younger than age 6,” examines parent- or guardian-reported data about the general health, chronic conditions and physical limitations of First Nations children living off reserve and Métis children. Data from the 2006 Aboriginal Children’s Survey were used to investigate measures of child health and assess possible associations with social determinants of health.

For more information on this article, contact Leanne Findlay (613-951-4648; leanne.findlay@statcan.gc.ca.), Health Analysis Division.

The second article, “Assessment of validity of self-reported smoking status,” compares estimates of the prevalence of cigarette smoking based on self-reported data with estimates based on urinary cotinine concentrations. The data are from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey, which included self-reported smoking status and the first nationally representative measures of urinary cotinine.

For more information on this article, contact Margot Shields (613-951-4177; margot.shields@statcan.gc.ca.), Health Analysis Division.

The February 2012 online issue of Health Reports, Vol. 23, no. 1 (82-003-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

For more information about Health Reports, contact Janice Felman (613-951-6446; janice.felman@statcan.gc.ca.), Health Analysis Division.

(Ottawa, ON) – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo continues calls for fair and equitable treatment of First Nation children and families on the first day of federal court appeal hearings regarding the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal’s (CHRT) dismissal of a human rights complaint filed by AFN and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) in 2007.

“Equity for our children is a first imperative and necessary to create safety, security and to ensure our children have the opportunity to succeed,” said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo, who attended this morning’s hearing in Ottawa. “First Nations must have access to human rights mechanisms for basic services. We must end discrimination and support and enable success for this generation and future generations.”

On March 15, 2011 the CHRT dismissed a 2007 complaint filed by AFN and FNCFCSC. The human rights complaint is based on the discrimination caused by unequal funding for First Nation children in the child welfare system. The Chair of the CHRT dismissed the complaint based on a questionable legal basis which suggests the federal government can provide a different and inequitable level of service to First Nation children as long as the provinces and territories provide the service to all other children.

“Just as we said when we gathered last month for the Crown-First Nations Gathering, First Nations are committed to a path of mutual respect. This means fairness, recognition and jointly designed approaches that work for our peoples,” said National Chief Atleo. “We are standing firm in protecting our rights and our children. We will be vigilant.”

Today is the first day of a three day hearing for presentation of appeal. The federal court will hear arguments from AFN, FNCFCS, Canadian Human Rights Commission, Chiefs of Ontario, Amnesty International and the Government of Canada.

On Parliament Hill tomorrow, about 700 students from Ottawa area, Manitoba and New Brunswick will gather for “Have a Heart Day” to raise awareness of a number of campaigns seeking to achieve equity in services for First Nation children, including “I am a Witness, Shannen’s Dream and Jordan’s Principle.”

National Chief Atleo will be in Vancouver tomorrow participating in the annual memorial march for Missing and Murdered Aboriginal women.

The Assembly of First Nation is the national organization representing First Nation citizens in Canada. Follow AFN on Twitter @AFN_Updates, @AFN_Comms and @NCAtleo.

For further information:

Jenna Young, AFN Communications Officer 613-241-6789, ext 401 or cell: 613-314-8157 or jyoung[at]afn.ca

Alain Garon, AFN Bilingual Communications Officer (613) 241-6789, ext 382 or agaron[at]afn.ca

Key Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide health related policy development support to the BCAAFC and its member Friendship Centres;
• Draft briefing notes, discussion papers, and proposals on behalf of the BCAAFC;
• Support Friendship Centres for increased Aboriginal health programming;
• Work with the First Nations Health Society (FNHS) and provincial and federal partners on the implementation of health-related initiatives out of the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan (TFNHP)
• Represent the BCAAFC on Aboriginal health-related planning committees and working group

Knowledge and Abilities
• Demonstrated ability to work with government and Aboriginal organizations
• Strong policy development skills and experience;
• Extensive knowledge of Aboriginal cultures and history with a demonstrated knowledge of cultural protocols;
• Knowledge of health related programs and services in urban Aboriginal communities;
• Excellent written and oral skills and advanced IT capabilities;
• Ability to work in a team environment and work collaboratively with other staff members in the organization

Qualifications
• Minimum of undergraduate degree in Political Science, Humanities, Health Sciences or other related program area;
• Professional written and oral communications skills
• Extensive experience working with Aboriginal communities and organizations
• Must have a minimum of 4 years experience in a related employment field
• Pursuant to section 41 of the BC Human Rights Code, preference may be given to applicants of Aboriginal Ancestry.

Contact Information :
Submit resume and a cover letter to:
Warren Clarmont, Senior Policy Analyst
BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
#200 – 506 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1E6
Fax: (250) 388-5502 Ph: (250) 388-5522 Email: wclarmont[at]bcaafc.com

Deadline: 4:30 pm February 24th, 2012 – late applications will not be considered.

(ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED)

Location: Manitoba
Date posted: 2012-01-11

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

The University of Manitoba requires an energetic full-time research associate in the area of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder to be employed with the Manitoba FASD Centre. The Manitoba FASD Centre works as a multidisciplinary team with a vision to enhance the lives of individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. The Centre’s current research activities are diverse and include population based research on prevalence, health care utilization, and neurodevelopmental patterns, as well as multidisciplinary research on FASD patterns and outcomes.

Additional research opportunities are available. Applicants must have completed a doctorate degree or have equivalent qualifications and experience. Applicants must have experience in conducting literature searches, research methodology, research grant applications processing and project coordination. Excellent organizational skills and communication, as well as a willingness to work in a multidisciplinary team environment are required. Experience and knowledge of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an asset to this position. This is an exciting one year term position (with the possibility of further renewal) to start immediately. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience. A full range of staff benefits is available. Applications should include a curriculum vitae, bibliography and names of three referees to Dr. A. Hanlon Dearman, Child Development Clinic, Children’s Hospital, 840 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A 1S1.

Application materials, including letters of reference will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of “The Freedom of Information and Protection of privacy” (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitas may be provided to participating members of the search process.

The University of Manitoba encourages applications from qualified women and men, including members of visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples and peoples with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Collaboration Explores Prevention of Infectious Diseases in Aboriginal Communities

Researchers from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine are working to create vaccines that could prevent the spread of two infectious diseases among Aboriginal populations across country, and particularly in Northern Ontario. Working alongside the National Research Council (NRC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), researchers hope to develop a vaccine for the potentially fatal Haemophilus Influenzae Type A and Helicobacter pylori infection. A description and the work being conducted on these two diseases follow:

Haemophilus Influenzae Type A

Haemophilus influenzae often lives in its host undetected and then spreads to those who are elderly and immunocompromised. Across Canada it has been found most prevalent in Aboriginal populations in Northern Ontario. Northern Ontario Aboriginal communities have the highest incidence of this particular infection outside of the North American Arctic. For every hundred thousand people, seven are infected with this serious disease.

This is a very rare disease that has only presented itself in few cases across North America, but in particular has been found in Aboriginal populations such as Navajo and White Mountain Apache in the U.S.A.
“For comparison, before the introduction of a pediatric vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) [the close relative to Haemophilus influenzae type A], the incidence rate of invasive Hib disease in Ontario was 1.42/100,000 population/year,” said Dr. Marina Ulanova, Immunologist and Faculty member at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Dr. Ulanova has found that young Aboriginal children as well as adults with severe underlying diseases, such as chronic lung, kidney or heart disease are at the highest risk of acquiring this infection in Northern Ontario. This infection can be very dangerous and present itself as a blood infection known as sepsis, and meningitis, which is a brain infection that can have severe consequences for further child development. “The development of a vaccine would mean that Aboriginal populations across the North could be better protected against the Haemophilus influenzae bacteria,” explained Dr. Ulanova.

Helicobacter Pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is prevalent, infecting more than 50% of the population world-wide. While many individuals remain without symptoms, approximately 10-15% will develop peptic ulcers and 3% will develop cancer of the stomach. Additionally, H. pylori infections have been associated with colorectal, liver, lung, pancreatic and laryngeal cancers.

First Nations members are particularly susceptible to peptic ulcer disease and have a significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori infection in their communities. One study conducted in northern Manitoba, reported a 95% infection rate of H. pylori in First Nations communities. This bacterial infection is of particular concern for Northern Ontario since there is currently no epidemiological data on H. pylori infections in the area.

“We plan to establish a collection of H. pylori isolates from clinical cases across Northern Ontario so we can characterize the strains that are relevant in our area. Analyzing the specific characteristics of these strains will not only allow us to develop more successful treatment plans, but will also help to identify potential vaccine targets for the development of a safe and effective vaccine against H. pylori,” explained Dr. Francisco Diaz-Mitoma, Vice President of Research for Health Sciences North, and Faculty member at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Kimberley Larkin
Communications Officer
705-662-7243 (office)
705-669-7943 (cell)
kimberley.larkin@nosm.ca

Job Description

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), in partnership with The Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF), is inviting exceptional clinical scholars to apply for the new position of Heart and Stroke Foundation Chair in Aboriginal and Rural Health at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The Faculty appointment will be at NOSM and an affiliated health services provider. The Chair appointment will be situated anywhere in Northern Ontario for a five year term and renewable.

Environment

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is the first medical school to open in Canada in over 35 years. Since its official opening in 2005, the School has developed and delivered a distinctive model of distributed, community-engaged, and socially accountable medical education and research. NOSM has campuses at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury, with teaching and research sites across Northern Ontario. NOSM is a made-in-the-North solution that is attracting attention from around the world for its innovative model. In just five years, NOSM has become a world leader in community-engaged medical education and research, while staying true to its social accountability mandate of contributing to improving the health of the people and communities of Northern Ontario.

Responsibilities
The role of the Chair is to:

• Focus on the field of Cardio and Cerebrovascular Disease (CCVD) in Aboriginal and Rural Communities, addressing scientific uncertainty and scientific advancement;
• Lead activities promoting knowledge transfer and exchange through initiatives such as provincial (and potentially national) meetings and forums;
• Integrate with other Aboriginal and Rural Research Units in Ontario and across Canada to establish virtual collaborative research networks;
• Support efforts to establish mentorship/networking vehicles within Ontario (and potentially Canada), as a means of building capacity in CCVD population health research; and, undertake the responsibilities of a faculty member of NOSM with a reduced workload in the areas of teaching and service;
• Undertake externally-funded innovative research; and,
• Establish and nurture a collaborative research relationship with Aboriginal organizations in Ontario. Devote at least 75% of time to heart or stroke research in Aboriginal or rural populations. The remainder of the time will be an opportunity for patient care and clinical teaching.

The Chair shall provide leadership and promote a shared vision across a large geographic area with diverse user populations and have the ability to work consultatively and collaboratively with students, faculty, university and hospital administrators, government officials, Aboriginal Organizations, and the public.

Qualifications
The candidate must hold an MD, be eligible for a licence to practice medicine in Ontario, and must satisfy the criteria for appointment to the Associate or Professor rank. The successful candidate will have a full-time position at NOSM at the time of taking up the Chair or have an offer of a full-time appointment at NOSM. NOSM will consider applications from candidates at different career stages. Preference will be given to applicants who have experience with research in Aboriginal and/or rural health. French/Aboriginal language skills would be an asset.

For more information, please visit: www.nosm.ca

Application Procedure
Review of applications will begin March 19, 2012 and will continue until the position is filled. A letter of application accompanied by a current curriculum vitae, the names and contact information for three references should be sent to:

Phelps Talent and Executive Search
401 Bay Street, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON
M5H 2Y4

138 South May Street, Suite 5
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 1B3

Email: nosm@phelpsgroup.ca
Fax: 416-364-5643

Contact Information
Should you want to learn more about this unique leadership opportunity, please call Dr. Greg Ross, NOSM Associate Dean, Research at 705-662-7218.

The world’s first research space dedicated to bringing scholars and Indigenous communities together to create an innovative understanding of Indigenous governance and solutions for political decolonization opened its doors to the public on Jan. 18, 2012.

The research space amplifies and supports the research of Kiera Ladner, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Politics and Governance, and five graduate students. At the opening today in the Isbister Building, Ladner and her students were joined by representatives from Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

Mamawipawin, a Cree word that roughly means “the space where we gather”, has an architectural design that reflects critical Indigenous teachings about community, individuality, research and life. It also has a ventilation system to support Indigenous research protocols like smudging ceremonies.

It is a physical, a technological, and an intellectual space which will enable both discussions of, and potentially the realization of, resurgence, resistance and transformation in Indigenous politics. It is a space that promotes new thinking about research, generative methodological transformations, and finding new ways of doing research with Indigenous peoples around the world; Ladner is already working with scholars at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

Ladner conducts community-based research into constitutional reconciliation and decolonization. Her work aims at creating a deeper understanding of these competing ideas, both within communities and between Indigenous nations and Canada. Her research and this new space will bring communities together – engaging grassroots, traditional leadership, and political leaders in discussions about their visions of the future. What do they see as self-government? What is the meaning of Indigenous governance and traditional governance? Can traditional governance be recreated to meet modern needs?

One of her students is examining how food security, citizenship and adoption intersects with Canadian law.

The University of Manitoba has a goal of establishing itself as a national centre of excellence in Aboriginal education and this research space will provide great opportunities for Aboriginal students, scholars and community members.

Mamawipawin or the Indigenous Governance and Community Based Research Space was through funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Manitoba Research and Innovation Fund (MRIF), the University of Manitoba, and with support from Apple.

For more information contact Sean Moore, Marketing Communications Office, University of Manitoba, 204-474-7963 (sean_moore@umanitoba.ca.).

The successful applicant will be responsible for providing addiction counseling to individuals, couples, families and groups within a framework that is culture-based utilizing traditional teachings and traditional healing ways. You will determine an appropriate healing path in conjunction and collaboration with the client and when necessary with other health care providers through consultation, chart reviews and case conferencing.

The successful applicant will have a minimum of MSW with related counseling and case management skills or BSW or College Diploma with 2 years direct service in the area of addiction counselling. Candidates will demonstrate a commitment, respect, understanding and knowledge of Traditional Healing and have experience with Aboriginal culture, traditions, teachings and ceremonies. Candidates will have an understanding and competent knowledge of health and other issues facing the Aboriginal community such as the effects of the post-colonial and residential school syndromes and prefer to work in a multi-disciplinary setting. Aboriginal language skills considered an asset.

Contact Information :
Interested applicants are invited to submit their resume by 5:00 pm, Friday January 27th, 2012 to Peter Sackaney Chayuuweytim Coordinator, Anishnawbe Health Toronto, 22 Vaughan Rd, Toronto Ontario M6G 2N1, Email: psackney@aht.ca Fax: (416) 657-3436.

“People With Disabilities Are Encouraged to Apply.”
(If you are invited for an interview and require access accommodation, please let us know.)

Meegwetch to all applicants. However, only those selected for interview will be contacted