Nishnawbe Aski Nation holds emergency meeting in Ottawa amid surge in sudden deaths on First Nations

WARNING: This story contains details of suicide and may impact those who know someone affected by it.

Leadership with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) held an emergency meeting with federal officials after a string of recent youth suicides and unexplained deaths in First Nations across northwestern Ontario.

On Wednesday in Ottawa, the meeting to discuss the crisis and look at solutions included members of NAN's executive committee, chiefs from northern Ontario and health experts, and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu. Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Grand Chief Cindy Woodhouse and Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare were there as well. 

Listing 13 recent deaths, including the suicide of a 12-year-old, NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said the sheer magnitude of the crisis has overwhelmed the communities' capacities to respond and support their members. 

"Our people are suffering, and more may be lost needlessly unless we take meaningful, collective action on an expedited basis," said Fiddler in a statement.  

In the past two months, communities have dealt with a number of sudden deaths, including:

Kingfisher Lake First Nation, Sachigo Lake First Nation and Deer Lake First Nation have also had a disproportionately high number of suicides and suicide attempts, Fiddler said. 

NAN represents 49 First Nations in Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 in northern Ontario, a land mass covering two-thirds of the province. 

"It's difficult being here today knowing that so many people back in my community are thinking about suicide," said Kashechewan First Nation Chief Gaius Wesley, "As chief, I am a police officer, a counsellor, a drug enforcement officer and so much more." 

Federal support for affected nations was discussed at the meeting in Ottawa, said Hajdu, MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North. 

The federal government has been working with NAN since 2017 through the Choose Life program, which fast-tracks funding proposals for child and youth mental health services that are focused on prevention, Hajdu said. 

"But response is different than prevention," she said. "I think that program has been essential in helping many, many children, but obviously something's not working in that some children are not getting the relief that the promise of that program offers." 

The program has received about $563 million in funding over the past several years, said Hadju. 

"It's important that at some point we get to hear from youth themselves about what's working well and what's not working well about Choose Life. and whether or not there's other elements of support that are needed."