'People are dying': First Nation sounds alarm over growing drug crisis in northern Manitoba community

A remote First Nation in northeastern Manitoba is raising concerns about a growing drug crisis in the community, noting the federal government has offered little help.

God's Lake First Nation declared a state of emergency over illicit drug use 42 days ago.

Still, the community said with little help from the federal government, the problem is only getting worse.

“It's very rampant. It's causing a lot of problems and giving us a lot of stresses. Families are broken apart. People are getting sick. People are dying,” God’s Lake First Nation Chief Hubert Watt said at a news conference Monday.

The First Nation said there's an increase in violence, putting children at risk, and notes there are no treatment options available in the community.

“God’s Lake First Nation is in desperate need of immediate interventions from both provincial and federal levels of government to immediately provide life-saving supports such as crisis response teams, mental health supports and nursing human resources for the nursing station,” Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said at the news conference.

According to AMC, about 20 to 30 per cent of God’s Lake First Nation 1,500 citizens are currently experiencing drug addiction.

The assembly said it asked Indigenous Services Canada for emergency supports to be sent to the community, but its request was denied.

“We haven't heard anything promising from them. All they want to do is keep talking and talking. Now's the time to act on this emergency,” Watt said.

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) said in a statement they have been made aware of the state of emergency and have been meeting regularly with leadership to discuss both short-term and long-term supports.

“We recognize there is more work to do in order to close the gap in access to quality healthcare between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples in Canada,” the statement said.

It notes ISC’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch has four rotating mental health therapists who provide 24/7 counselling support in the community, adding the Manitoba Keewatinow Okimakanak (MKO) Crisis Response Team is en route to the community, and traditional healers will remain available to assist this week.

The statement also said the Hope for Wellness Help Line provides immediate, toll-free phone and online chat-based emotional support and crisis intervention to all Indigenous people in Canada.

- With files from CTV Winnipeg's Jon Hendricks and Jill Macyshon