Deaths plague reserve

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An entire community in northern Ontario has been labeled suicidal following the eighth death by suicide among the reserve's youths this year.

Crisis intervention teams were flown out to the remote Pikangikum community in early October after two youths committed suicide in four days. But despite efforts to contain copycat actions, two more youths killed themselves the following week.

In light of the continuing trauma to the community crisis counsellor Temius Nate said all 1,600 residents of Pikangikum are considered possible suicide risks. While the reserve gained national attention in the spring because of a wave of suicide attempts - 13 in 11 days - Nate said the situation today is the worst he has ever seen.

Leaders on the reserve are refusing to comment on the recent tragedies. The federal government summer pledge of $3.8 million to upgrade the Ojibway community's sewer system did not address a desperate need to increase housing, said Chief Gordon Peters in an August interview with Windspeaker.