Trudeau announces $62.5 million in funding for Saskatchewan First Nation rocked by stabbings

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $62.5 million in supports over the next six years for James Smith Cree Nation during a visit Monday.

The First Nation in Saskatchewan was rocked by a deadly stabbing rampage nearly three months ago.

The Sept. 4 stabbings left 11 people dead and 18 injured in the community as well as the nearby village of Weldon, Sask., northeast of Saskatoon.

Myles Sanderson, 32, the suspect in the attacks, later died in police custody, bringing the death toll to 12.

Trudeau met with leaders and family members of some of the victims in James Smith Cree Nation Monday before the funding announcement.

"I know you're still reeling and still processing what happened and what took place," Trudeau told an audience at the local school on James Smith.

"And I know from the conversations I had that members of the community are still grappling with it every single day."

The new funding includes $42.5 million to build a new wellness centre in the community and repurpose the existing Sakwatamo Lodge.

It is also meant to enable James Smith Cree Nation to develop and design programs that best serve the needs of their members, including increasing access to mental health, trauma, and substance use services. 

"Proper care and interventions can help avert crises," Trudeau said. "This is why access to culturally grounded mental health and addictions care are so important."

Peter Chapman Band Chief Robert Head said people are remembering the lives of lost loved ones and those memories will help the community go forward.

"That's the spirit moving forward [with] this healing centre that we're going to be building here in this First Nation."

James Smith Cree Nation Chief Wally Burns said the whole community must come together to help build the new wellness centre.

"We're all here to try and help, and we'll be here to try and get this thing moving for you," Burns said. "Let's build it for ourselves."