Cree community tackles bootlegging and drug dealing

The Quebec Cree community of Chisasibi is challenging citizens to put bootleggers and drug dealers out of business and is launching a public consultation to address the social issues they cause.

In the wake of three youth suicides since January, more than 200 people attended a community meeting last week.

In an open letter released in the lead up to last week's community meeting, chief and council urged Chisasibi residentsto stop buying drugs or alcohol illegally, adding it has a direct role in many of the social concerns that have "plagued" the community.

The open letter also laid outideas up for discussion, includingevicting bootleggers and drug dealers from public housing, allowing local stores to sell alcohol and beer, facilitating family intervention therapy and emphasizing elderteachings, among others.

"We all have a part in it to make that difference," said Daisy House, Chisasibi deputy chief. "If we work collaboratively, then something good came up can come out of it."

The community of more than 5,000 in the James Bay region of Quebec has been shaken by the suicides of three youth in their early twenties, according to Roxanne Pelchat, a community worker for the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.

Earlier this year, she reached out to chief and council saying she and her colleagues were overwhelmed with the distress they were seeing expressed by youth on social media and elsewhere.

She says drugs and alcohol playan important role to play in the struggles, as do a lack of communication skills between parents and children.

While encouraged by last week's community meeting, she would like to have seen more youth present.

"We only counted sixyouth," said Pelchat, adding the community needs to organize family sharing circles.

Irene Rupert works as a planning, programming and research officer for Maanuuhiikuu (Mental Health) in Chisasibi. She would like to see a community protocol to help citizens better recognize and know what to do when someone is in crisis or is at risk of suicide.

"A lot of these youth seem to be using whatever substances that are available out there," she said. "Some [are] just staying home with their video games and there's nobody there to ask them how they're doing."

Deputy chief Daisy House agrees and says her community needs to get back in touch with Cree traditions.

"We're losing our values of how things were long ago," She said. "[In the past] we were able to talk to one another and share our thoughts, feelings and tackle anything that came to us."

She says council is compiling ideas and priorities identified at last week's meeting andsocial issues will be addedto the agenda of every council meeting to keep the community informed about the progress. The community is also looking into extending a summer youth outreach program to the winter months.

The open letter also issued a challenge to the bootleggers and drug dealersthemselves.

"Can you not find another way to make money without contributing to the destruction of young lives and the health of our people?" it asked.

Where to get help:

• Local Miyupimaatisiiun Center: open 9 a.m.to 5 p.m.
• Youth Protection Youth in Crisis: 1-800-409-6884 open weekdays 5 p.m.to 9 a.m.,weekends 24 hrs
• First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line: 1-855-242-3310 open 24/7
• Suicide Prevention Montreal: 1-866-277-3553 open 24/7
• Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (text) |crisisservicescanada.ca(chat)
• In Quebec (French):Association qubcoise de prvention du suicide: 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553)
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone),www.kidshelpphone.ca(live chat counselling)