By Roman Hayter
The Lac La Ronge Indian Band recently released a letter reasserting their stance on drugs and crime in on-reserve housing.
The letter reiterates the band’s no-compromise, non-negotiable stand against drug-related and other illegal activities within the band’s six communities and 19 reserves.
It states members residing in homes, including band administered and privately owned homes, on LLRIB land are in communities that fall under the Lac La Ronge Indian Band Housing Policy of February 2020.
The letter released also said residents found trafficking narcotics or carrying out other illegal business activities in or from a unit are subject to immediate eviction without prior notice.
The band also highlighted the policy’s housing agreement that states. “Occupants and Borrowers in a unit may be evicted immediately and without notice and counselling for any of the following reasons: making false declarations on a housing application or under home ownership qualification provisions of this policy that results in a housing allocation or loan guarantee approval, trafficking narcotics or carrying out other illegal business activities in or from a unit, being convicted of a serious criminal code offence, and being BCR’d from LLRIB reserves.”
The LLRIB’s zero-tolerance letter also showcased that substance abuse and alcoholism affect the community. “Substance abuse and alcoholism threaten not just an individual’s health, safety and peace of mind but our way of life, traditional values and drain precious resources. We deserve an environment free of crime and the negative influence of drugs. We don’t and won’t tolerate drugs and crime in our community.”