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State of emergency: Northern Manitoba reserve struggling with suicides

A state of emergency has been declared in Pimicikamak First Nation at Cross Lake after the staggering incidence of suicide has come to light and triggered calls for action from northern Manitoba to the House of Commons. Since Dec.

A state of emergency has been declared in Pimicikamak First Nation at Cross Lake after the staggering incidence of suicide has come to light and triggered calls for action from northern Manitoba to the House of Commons. 

Since Dec. 12, six people have taken their own lives in the community, four of them youth. An additional 18 had attempted to take their own lives, and 140 more have reported seriously considering the act in the past three months.

Two more suicide attempts by students prompted the First Nation to declare the state of emergency last week, with a plea for federal and provincial authorities to provide help. A provincial crisis intervention team has been deployed in the community, and both federal and provincial authorities are working to secure additional support for the afflicted community.

Roughly 1,000 residents of Cross Lake participated in a suicide prevention walk March 3 to draw attention to what was initially recognized as four youth suicides in the last three months. 

Seventeen-year-old Amber Muskego, a close friend of the deceased, was among them; she painted a picture of neglect and disillusionment among youth in Cross Lake, where the few recreational opportunities, baseball and hockey, were limited to the minority of privileged families who could afford the expensive programming.

But for most, there are few opportunities for structured community recreation, and many are affected by drug and alcohol abuse. Speaking with the CBC, Muskego explained, “Our town is invaded with drugs and alcohol. People get money, welfare, and child tax. Some people don’t even give their kids family allowance. They just go drink it up, slots, drugs, whatever they can get.”

Even those who have recreational opportunities don’t always get the support they need: “Most parents, they send their kids on hockey trips with other people, they don’t go with their kids.”

Churchill-Keewatinook Aski MP Niki Ashton took Muskego’s message to the House of Commons March 7, making an impassioned plea for urgent action to be taken to intervene.

“This is the face of crushing poverty and growing inequality in Canada, and this is why First Nations are asking for support in terms of education, recreation, and jobs. Will the government listen to Amber, and step up to support young people in Pimicikamak and First Nations across the country?”

Carolyn Bennett, minister of indigenous and northern affairs, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitments to invest in First Nations development and their communities, and more recently a spokesperson told the Winnipeg Free Press that the department is already working with the chief and council to determine the best response to the crisis. 

– Thompson Citizen

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