Rick Garrick — Wawatay News

Although Keewaywin’s drastic measures to stop prescription drug abuse have gradually dissolved over the past year, the community continues to battle prescription drug abuse.
“The task force kind of dissolved over the course of that time because there were many unanswered questions about what the law and what Health Canada and what the clinic can do to support this problem,” said Keewaywin Chief David Thompson, who won the election for chief in April over previous chief Joe Meekis.

A pair of Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School students spoke about their addictions during a recent prescription drug abuse conference in Thunder Bay.
“I am a Grade 11 student at DFC and I use Oxycontins,” said Anita Meekis, a student from Sandy Lake who started using codeine and Percocets three years ago when she was 16. “I’m just a teenager and I have (had) a lot of issues for the last few years.”
Meekis described problems she had with her parents, her boyfriend and her friends.

This year’s NAN Day of Prayer was held during National Addictions Awareness Week to encourage and promote a lifestyle free of addictions among individuals, families and communities.
“There has been a growing concern with prescription drug abuse in NAN’s (Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s) communities, including most recently, the state-of-emergency declared in Eabametoong First Nation,” said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy during the NAN Day of Prayer gathering Nov. 15 at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School in Thunder Bay.

Northern Nishnawbe Education Council is looking for opportunities to introduce its students to productions such as the recently performed play Spirit Horse.
“We want to give them the same opportunities as the provincial schools are providing,” said NNEC executive director Jennifer Manitowabi after Drew Hayden Taylor’s adaptation of the Irish play Tir Na N’Og was performed Nov. 2 at Algonquin Avenue Public School in Thunder Bay. “Federally funded schools are not given these opportunities. We are expected to do the same amount with half the dollars.”

Gelineau Fisher’s uniquely painted birchbark canoe is the work of his whole family, not just himself.
“I always thought about building that canoe, ever since I was small,” said the Anishinabe artist originally from Long Lake #58 who now lives in Longlac. “My little (grandson) came along and helped me out. A little guy like that can do a lot of things – it’s really amazing. One day I hope he does the same thing.”
Fisher’s grandson gathered the spruce roots and other smaller materials for the canoe while some young men helped gather some of the heavier materials.