A group of Saskatchewan First Nations says there is an opioid drug crisis in their communities and they need government help to combat it.
Elected representatives from the Yorkton Tribal Council, Cote, Muskowekwan and Keeseekoose First Nations held a press conference in Saskatoon Tuesday to draw attention to the problem.
George Cote is the chief of the Cote First Nation.
“It affects all ages and people are dying from it from overdosing,” he says. “And there are a lot of mental health issues that are taking place as a result of this drug.
Cote says the communities simply don’t have the capacity to deal with the drug crisis and are asking federal and provincial governments to help out in any way that they can.
“Just to put measures in place to where we can treat our people and educate them on the effects of this drug and what it’s doing to them and where they can find help if they really need help. We don’t have the resources in place, we don’t have the facilities in place, we need treatment centres, it can be long term not just short term.”
The press conference was hosted by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
“The lack of action and the lack of funding when it comes to the opioid crisis within First Nations is what is causing a lot of the social problems we all face,” FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt says in a released statement. “The funding that comes is not enough. The treatment facilities are full. We need more beds and culturally specific healing and wellness for our families.”
“The current solutions the governments have placed upon us and the treatment facilities we have in place are not working,” Muskowekwan First Nation Chief Reg Bellerose says in the same statement. “We need immediate, culturally based, First Nations led and controlled treatment and wellness centres within our own communities.”