Remote communities seek help amid rise in suicides, attempted suicides in Red Sucker Lake
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Leaders of four remote Manitoba First Nations are calling on the provincial and federal governments to do more to ensure equal access to health care and social services to deal with rising mental health and addictions issues.
Chiefs from Island Lake First Nations held a news conference Wednesday with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Assembly of First Nations and Keewatinook MLA Ian Bushie (NDP) to call for more crisis and long-term care options, including a hospital, in the communities of Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Wasagamack and Red Sucker Lake.
"All Island Lake community members and leadership are daily trying to help the people who are suffering so much that the risk of suicide is a constant threat," Scott Harper, Island Lake Anishininew Okimawin grand chief, said at the news conference.
"Canada must provide Island Lake First Nations with substantive equality in the health and social services that other Canadians have."
He called on both levels of government for more immediate crisis supports and long-term investment, including the construction of an addictions treatment centre and hospital to serve the roughly 18,000 people who live in the four communities.
"An urgent strategy is needed to address colonization's intergenerational traumatic effects, combined with decades of insufficient resources and funding, which has created a pandemic of suffering," he said.
The calls come as Red Sucker Lake mourns the loss of two people to suicide and 17 attempts in the past couple of months. One of those who died was a 16-year-old who was found at a playground.
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1 ноя 2022
