As opioid deaths spike among Blood Tribe in southern Alberta, some share stories of hope
CBC
In the community of Moses Lake, which is part of the Kainai Nation in southern Alberta, Christmas lights adorn the trim of the local homeless shelter as a snowstorm rages outside.
Inside, an NHL game between the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders plays on the shelter's television as some of the viewers here discuss the recent COVID-19 outbreak among players on the Calgary Flames.
"How many is it up to now? Thirty?"
Among those at the shelter tonight, there's a common sentiment — one of gratitude. A local non-profit group, Changing Horses, gifted winter boots and socks to those attending the shelter, items that will be critical this winter as temperatures plunge.
But sadness also hangs over the gathering here tonight.
"This place, this shelter, I like it here, but I kind of got traumatized," said Leah Crazy Bull, who everyone calls Bubble. "It really broke my heart."
About two weeks ago, someone passed away at the shelter from a drug overdose. Propped up on the Christmas tree in the corner of the room is a photo of the young man, which Crazy Bull holds up.
"This Christmas is not a great year for me. I lost him, and he was a nice boy," she said. "I've known him for years."
The death weighs heavily on the shoulders of everyone in the shelter. It seems like every week, someone else in the community passes away from an opioid overdose.
"I've lost a lot of my family," said Thomas Badman. "I'm hearing a lot [about opioid overdoses]. It's coming around here, and I don't know where it's coming from.
"I don't know how they're going to stop it."
Earlier this month, the Kainai Nation, also known as the Blood Tribe, sent an alert to its members warning of a particularly poisonous batch of opioids making its way through the community, leading to a spike of overdoses.
Recent data is not yet available, but according to the Blood Tribe, 117 opioid poisonings were reported on the reserve between January and August 2021.
Alayna Many Guns, the Blood Tribe opioid response co-ordinator, said one of the goals for the coming months is to build a data framework to understand the full picture in the community.
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