Saskatchewan’s premier met with First Nations leaders in La Ronge earlier this week to come up with a long-term plan to address the suicide crisis.
Six First Nations girls have died by suicide in the north in recent weeks and there have been many other reported attempts.
Families like those of Ariana Roberts, 12, say they don’t know why it’s happening.
“She was definitely loved by everyone that knew her,” Roberts’ devastated mother Sally Ratt told CTV News.
In the short-term, the province has deployed more than a dozen mental health therapists and offered new training to local teachers.
One part of the long-term plan to combat the crisis is a $17 million treatment, addictions recovery and fitness centre, but it’s not yet clear whether it will be funded.
Premier Brad Wall suggested Wednesday that Saskatchewan would be interested in partnering on the facility with the federal government, which is responsible for health care on reserves.
“It’s a plan that’s going to make a difference,” said Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson after the meeting.
Cook-Searon said the plan involves “building the capacity in the community and building the capacity in our schools and in our front-line workers, because they’re the ones the youth trust.”
Minister of Health Jane Philpott said that the roots of the mental health crises in places like northern Saskatchewan are deep, adding that “it won’t be solved overnight.”
It’s not the first suicide crisis the Liberals have dealt with since taking office one year ago.
Attawapiskat First Nation experienced an estimated 100 suicide attempts last fall and winter.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Attawapiskat Chief Bruce Shisheesh in June. Around the same time, the Liberals announced $69 million over three years for indigenous mental health.
Attawapiskat resident Jackie Hookimaw says little has yet been done to address the crisis in her community. “More traditional healing programs, but there has been nothing,” she said.
Last month, Trudeau called the suicides in northern Saskatchewan a tragedy and said the federal government is committed to working with indigenous communities to deal with the problem.
First Nations aren’t the only communities that have dealt with suicide crises in the past year. The town of Woodstock, Ont., experienced at least five youth suicides in the first half of 2016.
With a report from CTV’s Manitoba Bureau Chief Jill Macyshon
