Waweyekisik Educational Center ,Waterhen Lake First Nation Adminstration Office & RCMP Station. (submitted photo/ Liz Aubichon)

By Nicole Reis

WATERHEN LAKE CRISIS

Waterhen Lake FN reconsiders calling state of emergency

May 13, 2020 | 5:36 PM

Waterhen Lake First Nation will not be issuing a state of emergency today after the community grappled with a rash of suicide attempts within the last month and the recent death of a 14-year-old girl.

Councillor Dustin Ross Fiddler told meadowlakeNOW community leaders are mapping and planning out a strategy for how to effectively support those who are struggling with their mental health.

“Our health team met today as well as Meadow Lake Tribal Council Health staff and collectively they said ‘We’re not under capacity or overwhelmed to call a state of emergency but could be considered in the coming days,'” he said. “On top of the attempts the community is aware of, we’re mapping and planning out a strategy for how to effectively deal with people that need these supports right now and we’re going to move forward with how to get support out to people.”

Those attempts to provide support have faced a setback with ongoing social isolation and social distancing restrictions.

“We’ve done a great job in Waterhen. Our people have really banded together and done their best to limit travel and stay safe and stay at home, but alongside of that, that success in keeping the pandemic out of Waterhen Lake First Nation has also led to [the end of] a lot of people’s resources, which they’re used to receiving,” he said.

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Fiddler explained regular community talks, addictions workshops for young people and outings planned through Jordan’s Principle programming including mental health support have stopped abruptly. Many people have fallen through the cracks and those who needed continuous support are not able to get it, he said.

Last week, the province released a mental health and addiction support strategy which Waterhen Lake First Nation officials are discussing with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, in hopes of creating a network between northern communities.

“So we can start to collectively plan and work with a given amount of support,” Fiddler said. “Right now, I feel like we’ve been working in silos, and we’ve been hearing isolated stories come from different northern communities and other First Nation communities and I definitely know the communication needs to be opened up between all of our communities and with the province.”

Fiddler added Waterhen Lake has specific needs but doesnt know if the surrounding First Nations or any other community are also asking for the same support or possibly more. His concern is the bleak economic prospect for the province that could lead to budgetary cuts for future support.

“I think moving forward, I’d love to have the collective communication with the North,” he said. “From there we can work on our northern strategy to fight not only the pandemic, but the issues that come with social isolation, distancing and the lockdown that we have.”

While issues vary from First Nation to First Nation, there is no blanket policy with lockdowns. Waterhen Lake’s policy allows one member per household to leave the resort at one time with exceptions for dependants.

“It’s one thing as chief and council, or the pandemic response team to put restrictions in place but we have no lawful or legal authority to make people comply with those orders,” he said. “They’re guidelines for the community to follow and thankfully the community has done a great job in following those orders. But if anybody was to break those orders or knowingly disturb the peace of the First Nation by actively disrupting those guidelines, there’s not a lot of legal authority we have on our side. We’ve talked with the RCMP and [they] are also limited in what they can do to support our efforts.”

It’s a balancing act for community leaders who want to effectively encourage safe distancing, but refrain from limiting individual rights and freedoms as well as treaty rights.

“We have the right to hunt, trap and attend ceremonies and that’s one of the things we’ve had to take into our consideration,” he said. “There are elders and people who travel for different ceremonies or sweats or other cultural practices and it’s a tough question. We want to keep people safe but we also don’t want to stop people from living the lives they have been promised they can live through treaty.”

Fiddler said before COVID-19, Indigenous communities were struggling with ongoing mental health crises from increased suicides to addictions issues.

“[The pandemic] really just padded on to already a complex situation — one that was in dire need of resources going into this,” he said. “I’m really hoping moving forward, all levels of government really focus on the need of the communities in regards to mental health support and addiction support. We need to be investing proactively into the health of all of our people.”

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If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is in crisis, you can contact the First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310. Services are offered in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktuk by request 24/7.

Warning Signs of Suicide:
• Suicidal threats
• Statements revealing a desire to die
• Previous suicide attempts
• Sudden changes in behaviour (withdrawal, apathy, moodiness)
• Depression (crying, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, hopelessness)
• Final arrangements (such as giving away personal possessions)

Communities in need of mental health crisis counselling services can call 1-866-885-3933 ext. 4 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Monday to Friday.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722