By Steve Barnes and Jo Snyder It is well established that a
variety of social and economic factors influence our health,
things like our income, education, employment status, and even
our neighbourhood. And it is also well established that some
populations face greater barriers to good health, populations
like recent immigrants, women, and racialized Canadians. But we
don’t talk enough, or rather do enough, about the health of
Aboriginal Canadians who face some of the most significant
barriers to good health and, consequently, experience the
greatest health inequities. This is set out in a new report by
the Health Council of Canada that shows that the health system
itself creates barriers to health for Aboriginal people. The
report shows that Aboriginal people do not feel safe from
stereotyping and racism within the health care system. This
includes a lack of understanding of both Aboriginal culture, but
also the systemic racism within which Canada’s First Nation’s
live. Aboriginal people are therefore less l