Letter of Commitment signed to work towards provincial suicide strategy for Indigenous youth

The next step to the strategy on suicides involving Indigenous youth has been taken.

On Thursday, in a windy Wanuskewin Heritage Park setting, dignitaries from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and the provincial and federal governments signed a letter of commitment. It signified the next step to address the crisis that has plagued communities within Saskatchewan.

“It was a lot of lobbying,” FSIN Second-Vice-Chief David Pratt said following the signing.

HAPPENING NOW: It’s a windy one at @Wanuskewin_Park, but an important letter signing is about to come to fruition between FSIN, the Federal and Provincial gov’t.

This is to work together to reduce the rates of suicides for Indigenous youth within Saskatchewan. #yxe pic.twitter.com/R2AJBQe0Sm

— Brady Lang (@BradyLangSK) September 24, 2020

Pratt said discussions began in January for a “larger five-year ask” to work together to establish the strategy. Pratt said the next step will include developing a proposal to the federal government, which has a focus on building a community-level capacity.

“We’re looking for a major investment— that number has yet to be determined. We’ll have our proposal next week,” he said.

During the press conference, Pratt said the strategy will not be a one-size-fits-all agreement. He said that with all 74 First Nations, with six different tribal-affiliations, that it’s important to recognize those differences.

“Our job at the (FSIN) will be to support each community as they develop on seeing how they want to move forward a holistic way on suicide prevention,” he said.”

Pratt also added that in the north, the number one cause of death is suicide. He explained that a lack of services, a connection to the community, housing, and support programs are hugely connected to the issue.

Pratt wasn’t done in dropping statistics that back the seriousness of the situation, either.

“First Nations, per capita in Saskatchewan specifically… are the number one (in) suicide in the entire world. That’s the whole world’s data,” he claimed.

Recently, communities such as Ochapowace Cree First Nation, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation and Onion Lake Cree Nation declared states of emergency due to the youth suicide crisis.

When asked, the province’s Minister of First Nations, Metis and Northern Affairs, Warren Kaeding said Thursday was historic with the commitment. He did stop short of predicting how much funding the province would commit to the project.

“I don’t think we could. It’s just an ongoing process and again, determining what our priorities are,” he said. “With many of our communities, there’s such a difference between the historical background, the economic background, the concerns that might be in each community.

“We needed to do this.”