Four northern Manitoba First Nations have declared a regional public health emergency due to the escalating issues of opioid use, toxic drug supply, HIV, hepatitis C, and homelessness.
The Island Lake First Nations, comprising Red Sucker Lake, Wasagamack, Garden Hill, and St. Theresa Point, are represented by the Anisininew Okimawin Grand Council, whose leaders are urgently addressing the crisis. They gathered in Winnipeg to advocate for essential measures including prevention, treatment, housing, harm reduction, and sustainable funding for Anisininew-led care.
Grand Chief Alex McDougall emphasized the critical need for immediate action, stating, “We are not arriving late to this declaration; we are standing with our relatives across the province and asking the federal and provincial governments to meet that moment with the urgency it demands. Our message today is not an attack on any government. It is an invitation.”
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Kyra Wilson echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the necessity for streamlined access to resources for families without bureaucratic obstacles.
The Anisininew Okimawin Grand Council is urging Ottawa and the Manitoba government to acknowledge the regional public health emergency and provide long-term funding for medicine, harm reduction, treatment, prevention infrastructure, and First Nations policing.
In response to heightened HIV rates, particularly affecting Indigenous communities, the Anisininew Nation of Garden Hill reported an outbreak earlier this year with 11 new diagnoses. Concerns were also raised about drug infiltration in fly-in communities, prompting calls for stricter airport security measures.
Chief Samuel Knott of Red Sucker Lake highlighted the long-standing challenges faced by families, emphasizing the risk posed by shared needles in overcrowded homes. Health workers from the Manitoba Anisininew Mobile Addictions Network stressed the urgent need for expanded capacity to address the growing demand for care.
Minister Bernadette Smith acknowledged the severity of the situation, noting the province’s support for Indigenous-led initiatives in creating treatment spaces and enhancing outreach programs.