First Nations communities calling for government support for suicide problems

Chiefs and council members from Saskatchewan First Nations communities gathered for a media conference at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) office in Saskatoon on Thursday.

Among them was Makwa Sahgaiehcan Chief Ron Mitsuing, who has seen his community affected by three suicides and eight more attempts in the last few weeks.

“I was at the legislature yesterday to deliver a message to the provincial government to do something about our suicides here,” he said. “We’re losing too many young people for what? It’s a loss of life of these kids. They haven’t even lived long, they haven’t even experienced what we have experienced and they never got to enjoy what we enjoy.

“So I am asking the provincial government to put a suicide strategic plan in place and also the federal government to jump in and help us out. If they are having trouble drafting a bill, maybe they can ask us to help them.”

In his speech at the media conference, FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt said the issue of suicides isn’t a localized issue to certain First Nations communities. He listed Southend, Pelican Narrows, Ochapowace and Fond du Lac as other Saskatchewan communities that have had suicides in the last few months.

Makwa Sahgaiehcan councillor Tommy Littlespruce says officials know what they need to do, but first they need the federal and provincial governments to commit to helping.

“If the provincial government and the federal government want to come and visit my community, I will give you a tour,” said Littlespruce.

“Come and sit down with the elders and with the parents. We know what the issue is and how we can fix it. But we are handcuffed because there are no policies, there are no strategies and there is no funding to help us.”

According to Pratt, the key to solving the suicide problems lies in connecting the young people to the land and the culture that they have lost over the years.

“Studies have shown how important it is to get our kids back to the land (and) get our kids back to their culture. Our kids don’t know who they are. They are losing our traditions (and) losing our cultures because of assimilation and the way the modern world works,” he said.

“What has worked in White River where they have had suicide crises is connecting the kids back to who they are and the land. Indigenous people always will have a connection to the land and there is something when you are out there on the land or the water. When you are out there hunting you feel strength, you feel healing and that’s what we want to focus on.”

Littlespruce feels Indigenous issues, like this growing suicide concern on remote First Nations communities, aren’t weighed the same as they would be in other rural areas and small towns in the province.

“We bury young people steady, four or five a year. It’s not in the news. Since July, we’ve buried four … I had a 16-year-old boy last year kill himself. In three years, we’ve lost seven,” he said.

“Now put that in perspective. Why is this not national news? Why is there not more funding? Why is there not more strategies? Because these are First Nation kids.”

Both Mitsuing and Fond du Lac Chief Louis Mercredi said they had another incident of an attempted suicide Wednesday night.

“It’s getting more scary. We need to save these kids and do something. I’m scared; I can’t sleep anymore at night. My people are in grief right now and they are also scared. Our neighbouring reserves are scared. They are having the same situation and they are going to be asking for help here pretty soon,” said Mitsuing.

“So please let’s do something. Let’s quit losing lives. We all love children (and) we should all try and save them. Let’s do something together, let’s pull together, the whole province quit fighting and bickering all the time. That’s all I’ve got to say. I just hope somebody listens out there now.”