Young First Nation leaders in Saskatchewan are opening up dialogue with First Nation leaders this week.
The 2015 FSIN Youth Legislative Assembly is underway at TCU Place in Saskatoon. Youth delegates from First Nation communities across the province have been given the opportunity to voice their questions and concerns to their leaders.
“My hope for this conference is that the voices of our youth are heard,” said Cheyenne Fineday, a young leader from Witchekan Lake Cree Nation who is a candidate for female youth representative of the FSIN.
One of Fineday’s concerns is the high level of poverty facing Aboriginal youth.
“Two out of three of our youth in each community are living in poverty,” said Fineday. “There are four families, sometimes, living in a three-bedroom house and many of our youth are brought up around drugs and alcohol and end up in the foster care system.”
Fineday also spoke on the importance of First Nations youth in Canada standing up for the treaties.
Another concern brought forward by the youth is the suicide rate among First Nations. First Nations youth commit suicide about five to six times more often than non-Aboriginal youth, according to statistics from Health Canada.
“A lot of our parents and grandparents went to residential schools, so (the youth) are not being raised properly and are being raised around drugs and alcohol,” said Jolene Creely, Miss FSIN for 2014/2015. “So it is a big cycle, but a lot of those things are being brought up here and we are recognizing the problems and the chiefs are listening.”
Colin Starblanket of Starblanket First Nation – who is the current FSIN Youth Male Representative – says he himself has struggled with suicide.
“It is important for young people to advocate for ourselves,” said Starblanket. “When we face these struggles and get through them we learn that we can help ourselves and how to help ourselves.”
The assembly will continue on Thursday with AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde, and FSIN Interim Chief Kimberley Jonathan sharing some remarks.
The last FSIN Youth Legislative Assembly was held three years ago, something that the new candidates say needs to happen more frequently in the future.