Josias Fiddle, Luke Mamakesic, Allen Meekis, Peter Fiddler and Peter Goodman during their 1988 hunger strike in protest of poor health conditions in NAN territory (Supplied by: Meno Ya Win Health Centre)
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation says the last surviving member of a group which put a national spotlight on worsening healthcare in its communities in the 1980’s has passed away.
Peter Fiddler was one of five people who participated in the Sandy Lake Hunger Strike in January of 1988.
For two days, Fiddler, Josias Fiddler, Peter Goodman, Luke Mamakeesic, and Allan Meekis, fasted in the Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital’s visitors lounge, which drew media attention from across the country over the deplorable health conditions in NAN territory.
Those conditions included the racial segregation in “Indian Hospitals”, sub-standard care, and the subjection of Indigenous patients for experimentation by the medical community and the needless exploitation during trials for research which has since been fully discredited.
While the hunger strike was short it resulted in a complete overhaul of Indigenous health services in Northwestern Ontario.
In a release Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler expressed his condolences.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of Peter’s passing, and we mourn the loss of our dear friend with his family and the entire community of Sandy Lake First Nation…We give immense thanks for Peter’s life of leadership and friendship, and pray for the Creator to guide him on his journey to the Spirit World. We will honour his legacy through our ongoing work to improve health care for our members and communities.”
A panel report was conducted by religious and Indigenous leaders, as well as medical experts and in 1989 was publicly released.
The 94 recommendations included in the 138 page report resulted in the establishment of the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority and the Meno Ya Win Health Centre, which operate in the region to this day.
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