‘Our people are tired’: First Nations leaders call on province to ‘open up hotels’ and suspend conferences to prioritize evacuees

First Nations leaders call on the province to open up hotels for evacuees.

First Nations leaders in Manitoba gathered Saturday afternoon to call on the province to provide a directive to hotels prioritizing wildfire evacuees in Winnipeg hotels.

Leadership from Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) and some of the affected First Nations urged the premier to suspend conferences that are taking up space much needed for evacuees arriving to the city.

“It is really sad to see our children have to sleep on floors, waiting in hallways, waiting outside,” said AMC Grand Chief Kyra Wilson. “We need to make sure we have space for our people.”

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said the reception of people into Winnipeg is “not a good experience.”

“If you were to see what is happening you would be appalled as Manitobans.” he said, “This is a matter of basic human dignity when our people arrive here they are not afforded that basic human dignity.”

Kelly Linklater, a councillor with Mathias Columb First Nation said the nation is “halfway” evacuated with community members being flown out all day and continuing over the next couple of days.

“It would be good to move quicker,” he said, “There is anxiety because of the kids, the Elders, and of course, the pending changing of the wind.”

Leaders spoke of how families are spread out across the province and even out of the province.

Linklater said there is a possibility 800 of their members may be flown to Niagara Falls, ON.

“We need to come together and make space for our people.” said Grand Chief Wilson, “Our people are tired. Our leadership is tired.”

CTV News reached out to the provincial government for comment.