100 recommendations made to curb youth suicide

A high rate of youth suicide in Pikangikum, a rural Ontario reserve, prompted the province’s Deputy Chief Coroner to investigate and provide recommendations to help the First Nation community address the tragic epidemic.

“I would absolutely call it a crisis. There’s no other way to characterize it,” said Dr. Bert Lauwers, who led the review and wrote the report.

The report—The Office of the Chief Coroner’s Death Review of the Youth Suicides at the Pikangikum First Nation 2006-2008—reviewed the deaths of 16 Pikangikum youth ages 10 to 19 during a two year span.
Lauwers said that in last two months there has been six more youth suicides in the remote community of 2,400 people, located about 100 kilometres north of Red Lake, Ont.

Work on the review began in March 2010 and involved a number of parties, including health care professionals, the provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, and child welfare providers.

A multi-disciplinary team, including Pikangikum First Nation chief, council and Elders, and Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy, contributed expertise, guidance and insight during the review process.

The report was released Sept. 2 by the province’s Chief Coroner Dr. Andrew McCallum.

The purpose of the review was to examine the circumstances of the death of each of the children and youth, collect and analyze information about the deaths in order to prevent further deaths in similar circumstances and to make recommendations to avoid future deaths.

The report includes a total of 100 recommendations in the areas of education, policing, child welfare and health care, with a particular focus on the development of suicide prevention strategies.

Findings conclude that “A lack of an integrated health-care system, poor education by provincial standards and a largely absent community infrastructure are uniquely positioned against the backdrop of colonialism, racism, lack of implementation of self-determination and social exclusions,” and are noted factors in the deaths.

“[The Pikangikum First Nation doesn’t] have running water, no sewage and they get their hydro from generators,” explained Lauwer.

“It’s not something that you can really believe,” he added. “It’s really, really an impoverished community.”

Michelle Perron, spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), said the federal department continues to work with the community and other partners to ensure lasting improvements to the quality of life in Pikangikum [and] work continues on a range of infrastructure projects in the community to achieve this goal.

“AANDC officials are reviewing the Ontario Coroner’s final review and are developing responses to those recommendations which fall within the department’s mandate,” she said, adding that “the department continues to work collaboratively with Pikangikum First Nation, as well as our federal, provincial and other partners, to address the recommendations in the review.”

“The department is very concerned by youth suicide rates in Pikangikum First Nation. The suicides are a tragedy for the families and the community and our thoughts and prayers are with them. The health and safety of First Nation members is a primary concern of the department,” continued Perron.

The ministry said it has invested about $22.5 million in projects in Pikangikum First Nation since 2007, including $16.2 million for the design and construction of the temporary school,$1.7 million to repair water points, $2.8 million on Diesel Generating Station (DGS) upgrades and $1.05 million on grid development work.

After a fire destroyed the former school in Pikangikum in June 2007, AANDC said it provided more than $14 million to build an interim school facility which has been in operation since January 2008.

The ministry said a new school for the community is in the works.

“Funding to support the design and construction of the new school is currently scheduled in future years of the First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plan (FNIIP),” said the AANDC spokesperson.

A better power source is also in the band’s future, reports the ministry.

“Design work for the grid connection project is complete,” Perron confirmed.

Pikangikum Chief Jonah Strang said help can’t come soon enough for the community.

“It’s a really, really huge concern when you lose young people like that,” he said, adding that the shock is felt in every aspect of the community.

Strang said he doesn’t know why young people are choosing to end their lives, but says a lack of basic resources and poor infrastructure compounds the issue.
“We don’t have much for youth,” Strang admitted.

“A school would be really nice,” he said. “What they need is something immediate,” adding that students are getting their education in various portables set up on the reserve and a new building is needed.

Strang said high school graduation numbers have dropped from nearly one dozen annual graduates to two or three per year. He suspects that if a proper school was built the high school graduation numbers would climb.
Strang said he hopes provincial and federal departments review the recommendations carefully and make decisions that will help expedite the band’s current projects.

“We would like the government to fast-track what we are currently working on,” he said, adding that the community is in urgent and desperate need for a better power source.

“We want to get the grid line going,” said Strang, “We’ve been working on it, but [the process] is slow, very slow.”
First Nations leaders across Canada have publicly applauded the work done by the Ontario Coroner’s office.
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn Atleo applauded the coroner’s report and is urging the provincial and federal governments to address the many recommendations aimed at ensuring First Nation youth are supported in achieving success in and outside their communities.

“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the families and community members of the young people lost from suicide in Pikangikum and across Ontario and Canada,” Atleo said in a statement. “In honor of their memory we must look to the future and create a better day for our youth. I urge all levels of government to immediately review and act on the recommendations in this report, particularly those that speak to the necessity of achieving basic infrastructure needs in First Nation communities and achieving fairness and equity in education, including comparable funding arrangements and culturally relevant education supportive of lifelong learning and respectful of First Nation traditions and languages.

“While suicide prevention is essential, education is the key to unlock the full potential of our young people and to provide them the hope and opportunity they need. They must be supported to achieve success through education.”

The national chief also made a personal pledge to the First Nation community.

“To all those in Pikangikum, let me offer this message – our hearts and minds are with you. We stand with you and join our voices with yours and all First Nation citizens in seeking understanding and support for a better tomorrow. We take this stand together, to resolve and take full responsibility to protect and nurture our families and children and we will take every step to support your advocacy,” he promised.

Two key recommendations endorsed by the First Nation suggest that:

Funding for First Nations education should be provided by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada at a level comparable to that provided to other children and youth being educated in the province of Ontario. Also, Aboriginal Affairs should fulfil its commitment to build a new school in Pikangikum as soon as possible and the school should be built to accommodate all children currently of school age and projected into the future, and will include children’s playgrounds, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and basketball courts, include an auditorium where community members can gather for traditional and cultural community events, and include a daycare facility.

But while all of the hundred recommendations are crucial, Lauwers said his top recommendation is for the formation of a steering committee—made up of Pikangikum community members, health professionals, law enforcement and government representatives—tasked with ensuring that the report recommendations are carried through.

“The solution to First Nations issues must come from the First Nations themselves,” said Lauwers. “There has to be a collaborative approach to building a healthy community,” he added.

The ministry agreed that a collective approach to adequately addressing the issue of suicide is vital.
“AANDC recognizes that youth suicide is a very complex issue, with no single cause or easy way of resolving it.
Responding effectively requires the involvement of a number of parties because the solutions cross so many lines of responsibility,” the Aboriginal Affairs spokesperson stated.

Calling the report broad and “highly unique,” Lauwers said the data collected through the investigation could be utilized by the government and First Nations across Canada who are facing the sad reality of suicide.

“We didn’t just look at the deaths. We looked at the social determinants of health, policing in the community and education,” Lauwers explained.

“[The report] is broad enough that it could apply to any First Nation community where there is an excessive mortality rate,” he said.