Nishnawbe Aski Nation holds emergency meeting in Ottawa amid surge in sudden deaths on First Nations

Leadership with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) held an emergency meeting with federal officials after a string of recent youth suicides and unexplained deaths in First Nations across northwestern Ontario.

On Wednesday in Ottawa, the meeting to discuss the crisis and look at solutions included members of NAN's executive committee, chiefs from northern Ontario and health experts, and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu. Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Grand Chief Cindy Woodhouse and Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare were there as well.

Listing 13 recent deaths, including the suicide of a 12-year-old, NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said the sheer magnitude of the crisis has overwhelmed the communities' capacities to respond and support their members.

«Our people are suffering, and more may be lost needlessly unless we take meaningful, collective action on an expedited basis,» said Fiddler in a statement.

In the past two months, communities have dealt with a number of sudden deaths, including:

• The 12-year-old's suicide at Sachigo Lake First Nation on Jan. 15.
• Suicide of a 20-year-old at Deer Lake First Nation in January.
• Nine deaths in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation between December 2023 and January 2024.
• Mackenzie Moonias, 14, from Neskantaga First Nation, whose body was found in Thunder Bay on Dec. 18.
• Jenna Ostberg, 21, from Bearskin Lake First Nation, who died in Thunder Bay on Dec. 30.

Kingfisher Lake First Nation, Sachigo Lake First Nation and Deer Lake First Nation have also had a disproportionately high number of suicides and suicide attempts, Fiddler said.

NAN represents 49 First Nations in Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 in northern Ontario, a land mass covering two-thirds of the province.

«It's difficult