Dehcho leaders discuss ‘outside interference’ in communities

“The reason we’re bringing this issue to the table before the leadership is, as you know, the issues that we’re dealing with in the communities are humongous.”

That was the message from Grand Chief Herb Norwegian to Dehcho First Nations leaders on Tuesday as a three-day meeting on social issues in communities began at Yellowknife’s Tree of Peace Friendship Centre.

Fort Providence’s drug-related shootings last month formed a key topic on the agenda.

Those shootings resulted in the death of one person and left two others injured. Krystian Cogswell, a 22-year-old from Surrey, BC has been charged with murder, attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault.

Despite a nationwide search for Cogswell, he remains at large. RCMP have made no arrests so far in relation to the incident.

“At the social level, right amongst the people, there is this issue of outside interference,” Grand Chief Norwegian said on Tuesday.

“Things that are coming from down south, and it’s coming into our communities and altering our way of life.”

Norwegian said the recent situation in Fort Providence has created a state of fear within the hamlet. He said drug dealers often use “pretty drastic actions” to target residents, which has been affecting lives in several smaller communities.

Stressing the importance of finding solutions to those concerns, Norwegian urged leaders to engage in the discussion.

“It’s a crisis, and it’s something that is out there that we need to take control of,” he said.

Addiction supports

Kristen Tanche, the regional health and wellness director for Dehcho First Nations, said a regional health profile that’s in development will help people gain a better understanding of addiction. It is expected to be complete by next month.

“There’s no one reason why a person may become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Their issues are very buried and they’re very complex. And so with a complex issue, you need to look at it in a multitude of different ways,” she said.

Tanche said the territory offers a community counselling program, addictions support through helplines and detox services at the Stanton Hospital. She said the NWT government also pays for people to attend treatment centres outside the territory.

Of the six centres that are covered, three are in Calgary and one of them is Indigenous-focused. Others are in BC, Alberta and Ontario.

Federally funded programs, such as the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, help cover treatment costs for those impacted by residential schools.

“Often people will think that the only choice they have is to go through the GNWT, but there are other possible options,” said Tanche.

“They also do different things like fund traditional healer travel, which isn’t very well known in the Northwest Territories – but if there is a traditional healer, you can access funds to go to a healer.”

Last month, the territorial government announced the launch of a transitional housing program in Yellowknife. Inuvik will see a similar program rolled out soon.

While some services are in place, Tanche said tackling addiction requires collaboration.

“We hear it from many of our leaders, from our community members, that we need more collaboration, that not one organization can tackle this issue on their own,” she explained.

“Health and Social Services can’t do it on their own. RCMP can’t. We need to work together and collectively for the betterment of our people and to provide more services to work together.”

‘Stronger, united, communicative’

Chief Melanie Norwegian Menacho of Jean Marie River’s Tthets’éhk’edélî First Nation emphasized the need for stronger and more united leadership that openly addresses substance use and other forms of addiction.

Menacho, who has been in recovery for the past decade, said the younger generations look to community leaders as role models.

“Our leadership needs to be stronger, united, communicative and to move this thing along,” she said.

“As long as we’re having self-doubt in ourselves, it’s kind of like, how can we represent our people when we’re not really looking at the whole issue of the addiction as well?

“How is it going to look like in the future? We’ve been at this for 30 years because the fear is there.”

Pointing to violence and substance abuse in the community, Chief Lloyd Chicot of Kakisa’s Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation said change needs to occur at the community level.

“We are no stranger to the fact that there are drugs coming to my community, there is alcohol coming into my community. I see some of the younger people that are bringing in these things to my community,” he said.

“Although we see it, it’s … really hard for them to come together and talk about some of the social issues within the community.”

This week’s Dehcho meetings are scheduled to conclude on Thursday. Dene National Chief George Mackenzie and Premier RJ Simpson were expected to attend the second day of proceedings on Wednesday.

The Dene Nation, meanwhile, is understood to be convening a leadership meeting of its own to address public safety in the territory.