Report: 4 suicides in one week in northern Ontario First Nations – CBS
Leaders in northern Ontario’s indigenous communities are speaking out following the suicides of three teenagers and a young man over the course of one week, The Canadian Press reports.
Two 12-year-olds from Pikangikum killed themselves the first weekend in July, and a 15-year-old girl killed herself in Nibinamik last Tuesday. The following day, a 21-year-old man from the Fort Severn First Nation also took his own life, according to The Canadian Press.
In 2017, there have been 18 suicides recorded in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a community spokesperson told the news agency.
Health Canada, which is responsible for suicide prevention programs in the communities, has extended its support to Pikangikum, Nibinamik and Fort Severn First Nations. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and communities that are grieving as a result of these tragedies,” the department said in a statement to The Toronto Star.
