Nursing mother challenges Nunavut’s medical travel policy—again

The Arsenault family in Baker Lake. Shannon Arsenault said a GN medical travel policy that prevents client escorts from travelling with their infant is discriminatory—particularly against breastfeeding mothers and their babies. (HANDOUT PHOTO)

A Nunavut mother says she’s had to once again appeal a Government of Nunavut decision that prevents her from escorting her child on medical travel along with her breastfeeding infant.

Shannon Arsenault of Baker Lake is scheduled to escort her 10-year-old daughter to a medical appointment in Winnipeg on Wednesday, Nov. 14.

But she hoped to bring along her nine-month-old daughter, who is still breastfed.

Although the Department of Health said it treats those requests on a case-by-case basis, Arsenault’s request was declined. She appealed the decision last week.

“My nine-month-old eats some solid food, but the majority of her nutrition is through breast milk,” Arsenault said.

“When I put in the request, I even told them I could have [my Ontario-based mother] fly to meet us in Winnipeg—out of our own pocket—to watch the baby.”

Nunatsiaq News reached out to the Department of Health early on Nov. 9 with some questions about the GN’s medical travel policy as it relates to nursing escorts.

The department did not respond to the request, but later on Nov. 9, Arsenault’s request was approved.

But the mother of four said that as long as the policy remains gray, it will continue to create barriers to accessing health care for families with nursing infants.

GN should support breastfeeding: Baker Lake mom

Arsenault knows she is eligible to take her infant with her, because the GN has approved that travel before.

Last June, Arsenault was escorting her four-year-old son to another appointment in Winnipeg, when she asked to bring her then-four-month-old daughter with her.

The GN first declined her request; Arsenault appealed the GN’s decision twice, but was denied both times.

When she finally went public with her dilemma, the Department of Health called her to say her request had been approved.

“None of her travel costs anything,” she said of her baby daughter.

Arsenault said it also sends a message to nursing mothers that breastfeeding isn’t a priority, when in fact it passes along many health benefits to babies who are fed that way.

“You go into the health centre here and there are posters promoting breastfeeding,” she said.

“It would cost the government less in the long run, if they supported nursing mothers.”

And she knows she’s not alone; after Arsenault told her story last June, she said she was contacted by a dozen other Nunavut mothers who have faced similar situations.

Kugluktuk MLA Mila Kamingoak raised the issue in the legislative assembly last month, calling on the GN to drop its policy that restricts nursing mothers from bringing their breastfed babies with them when they serve as escorts for medical travel.

Health Minister George Hickes told the legislature on Oct. 30 that the GN “strongly” encourages breastfeeding to all mothers across the territory.

Hickes noted that the department started a review of the entire medical travel process, including escorts, in April 2017, with any changes slated to come into effect in April 2019.

But the department hasn’t said if it is considering changes to that particular part of its escort policy.

When Nunatsiaq News first contacted the Department of Health about its medical travel policy last June, the GN said it treats each case individually, noting there can be costs associated with bringing an additional infant and that escorts should give their full attention to the person they’re escorting.

In an emailed response, a department spokesperson said the GN does in fact make efforts to support breastfeeding mothers by allowing “for breastfeeding mothers who are travelling for their own medical appointments to bring their infants as long as childcare is arranged, and the mother’s appointment will not interfere with the well-being of her infant.”

“As client escort travel is not mandatory, the department makes every effort to select escorts that meet the criteria outlined in the medical travel policy, but when necessary exceptions can be granted,” a department spokesperson said in a June email.

Nunavut’s current medical travel policy has been in place since June 2013.