Self-determination: the panacea for Canadian aboriginal people with disabilities?

Equal access and participation issues are at the forefront of the current disability advocacy movement. Disabled people worldwide are demanding a change in attitudes and policies reflecting their inherent right as citizens to full participation in society. The inequalities faced by the Canadian Aboriginal community with disabilities are magnified by unique socioeconomic, political, environmental, and cultural barriers. The current rate of disability in the Canadian Aboriginal population (31%) is double the national rate. The existing system available to Aboriginal people with special needs has often resulted in an unaccountable and ineffective web of service delivery. This paper documents various aspects of the existing structure of service delivery and the potential barriers to independent living for adults with disabilities living in remote First Nations communities in Northern Manitoba, Canada. Possible advantages and drawbacks to service provision in health transfer from the federal government to First Nation control are explored.