The Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council is declaring a state of emergency Wednesday in hopes of tackling what it calls “a drug crisis”.
The council is made up of the Birdtail Sioux, Dakota Tipi, Long Plain, Roseau River Anishnabe, Sandy Bay Ojibway, Swan Lake and Waywayseecappo First Nations.
“The rise in substance abuse, growing crime rates and increase in suicides are shared concerns in our communities,” Chief Kenneth Chalmers, Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council chairperson said in a news release.
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“Our goal is to collectively address the underlying issues and causes related to the drug crisis and to implement strategies to overcome this dilemma facing our member First Nations.”
The council is putting together a four point strategy to address the issue.
- Education & Prevention Strategies
- Treatment Options
- Advocacy & Support
- Enforcement
The council is asking the federal and provincial governments to provide resources to help implement the strategy.
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It plans to formally unveil the strategy at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.