Manitoba First Nation declares state of emergency following recent deaths

A map showing where O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation is. The First Nation has called a state of emergency following a string of deaths in the community.

A state of emergency has been declared in a small Manitoba First Nation.

"Recently, there have been deaths in our community, (including) one homicide," said Chief Shirley Ducharme of O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation in an interview with CTV News Winnipeg on Tuesday.

She said there have been three deaths in the past two weeks and there has been increased violence in the community.

"With the escalation of violence that has been happening in our community, we know the causes are the addictions and mental health issues and the trauma we are facing in our community."

Ducharme said the First Nation lacks the resources to deal with these issues and as part of the emergency announcement, Ducharme is calling on the provincial and federal government for support to address the issue.

"Right now we don't have any treatment centres in our community, like addictions or wellness centres for our people to begin the healing journey. It's mainly outside sources that we have to reach out to and some of our people have to wait six months to a year before there is an opening for them to attend a treatment centre."

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) has offered support in the form of its mobile crisis response team.

"This is not a time for words. This is a time for action," said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee in a news release.

Settee said the response team will work directly with families that have experienced trauma.

"We are also going to assist our member First Nation with their call for more housing by advocating on their behalf federally and asking the Province to limit the hours of their ferry to control the flow of alcohol into their community."

As part of the state of emergency, the First Nation has also called on the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) to create and implement an action plan that focuses on immediate, medium- and long-term needs.

"AMC stands with Chief Shirley Ducharme and O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation as they declare a state of emergency over the numerous deaths in their First Nation within a short period of time," said AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick in a news release.

In the long-term, Ducharme said she would like to see a wellness centre built in the community so people can heal from the trauma they are facing.

"Yes, there are some immediate resources that can be implemented, like counselling and resource people being deployed into our community," she said. "It's going to take a long time, the healing process that will occur."

The proper housing is also something Ducharme said would help improve the quality of life in the community, as there are currently some homes that have 15 people living there.

"People don't have that luxury of comfort in the home," said Ducharme.

In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the Manitoba government said it has not received a request from the First Nation, but noted the province continues to work to address supports in remote communities.

"If O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation submits a request to the province for ferry hours to be limited, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure will take the request into consideration and work in collaboration with the community. Ferries in Manitoba are federally regulated. The province is responsible for the operation of the ferry itself and our focus is on vessel safety," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also pointed to a five-year plan from the government to make sure addictions and mental health supports are available throughout Manitoba.

"An investment of $17 million is supporting the first-year implementation of the Roadmap, which has priorities including increasing the capacity of mental health and addictions services throughout the province, improving access and co-ordination of the mental health and addictions system and decreasing wait times for services."