Sheshatshiu chief says Innu community will soon have its own detox centre amid drug crisis
Chief Eugene Hart says 2-week program will include traditional healing elements
The chief of Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation says the town continues to staff entrances into the Labrador community in an ongoing effort to prevent people from bringing in illicit drugs, and say plans are in the works to develop a detox centre for those seeking addiction treatment.
Chief Eugene Hart told CBC News on Wednesday that the public has met four times since the community declared a drug crisis last week and installed safety officers at both of the town's entrances.
Hart says the conversation has turned toward medical support for those seeking treatment, adding nurses, doctors and outside agencies have volunteered to help.
"I think that's really exciting news to hear," Hart said.
"Different agencies are actually going to be joining us, helping us detox our people and get them where they need to be."
Hart says the community has discussed incorporating traditional healing methods into their detox plans, and says ideally, the detox centre would be partially located in tents just outside the community.
Hart couldn't say when the program would begin, but said the first part of the two-week program would take place in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, near a medical centre, and the latter part would happen in a natural area with elders present.
Residents have also talked about setting up a crisis line, he said.
"It's still a learning curve, and this is a new matter that we're dealing with in our own hands," Hart said. "It's not like we have people coming in from the government and taking over ... we're actually dealing with it ourselves."
The checkpoints haven't been unanimously popular, Hart adds, noting some people aren't happy with them.
"It's not going to be there permanently. It's not a permanent solution," he said. "It's just to slow things down a bit."
The RCMP said last week it had visited several people who had been banned from the community, asking them to leave Sheshatshiu. The force said in a statement that two people left, one person refused to leave, and there was no response at other homes they visited.
WATCH | Chief Eugene Hart says there's a lot of medicine in traditional Innu culture:
Around 150 people attended last week's community meetings, with many saying they've had enough of the growing amount of addiction and overdoses.
Hart says people who use drugs are slowly emerging, asking for help, as a result of the community's efforts.
"In order for our community to be healthy, we need to help them all.... We're opening the doors," he said.
"When your community is in crisis, you don't want to run out of hope.... When everyone stands strong together, we'll get there. It takes time."
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With files from Andrea McGuire