The federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) has agreed to provide emergency funding to "communities in crisis" in Northern Manitoba in the aftermath of last week's winter road meltdown.
Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton ordered all of the winter roads closed by midnight March 16 after a stretch of record-breaking warm temperatures that ended the next day.
"INAC has agreed to take immediate action, which includes funding to communities in crisis," said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Evans after a meeting with the federal government in Winnipeg March 19. "If the dam breaks during a flood, you don't work out the costs of fixing it; you take immediate action," Evans added.
Wasagamack First Nation Chief Jerry Knott, St. Theresa Point First Nation Chief David McDougall, along with Evans, also met with Indian and Northern Affairs representatives March 19 to discuss the crisis in Manitoba's Northern communities due to winter road closures, said Charmagne de Veer communications co-ordinator for the AMC.
"Thankfully, INAC agrees with the First Nation leadership and is willing to take immediate action," Evans said.
AMC has also agreed to co-ordinate meetings between the many stakeholders involved including First Nation, provincial and federal governments and private businesses.
"Not only do we need the support of government," said Evans. "We have heard stories of companies capitalizing on this crisis by raising prices.
"Instead we ask that they work together with us to find solutions and not take advantage of those who are already severely disadvantaged."
A winter roads crisis management team will meet every second day during this emergency, he said. It will include Evans, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief David Harper, the chiefs of the affected communities, the heads of the affected tribal councils, and federal and provincial government departments.
"These communities are stranded and have no money to airlift in the essential supplies that were coming to them via the winter roads," said Evans. "If they run out of fuel and there is a fire or a medical emergency, there will be no way to help them in time so speed is of the essence."
De Veer said aboriginal community leaders point out that this emergency situation was created by climate change and federal government policy which does not provide communities funding for supplies for the winter road season in time, often not until January, despite the fact that communities apply for the money in April.
"As soon as we get the approvals, we are ready to go. We have our plans in place in late fall. But without those approvals, we cannot begin to ship anything," said McDougall.
"We have been advocating for years for faster approvals for the winter road supplies. We have also been watching the winter road season grow shorter and shorter due to climate change. Government departments have been aware for years that an emergency like this one was going to happen and now it has," said Knott.
Goods that could be hauled cheaply now must be flown in at great cost, a completely avoidable situation, the AMC said.
And some goods can't be brought in at all, de Veer said. "Lack of fuel would mean rising prices for food in these communities which leads greater poverty, poorer health and rising health care costs for all Manitobans."
She said, "Long term effects mean that housing materials cannot be shipped and the overcrowding situation in these communities will continue or worsen creating a perfect breeding ground for TB, which is becoming an epidemic in this province."
"We are planning to build a school," says Chief McDougall. "We need schools to educate our children and give them the opportunity to build the future of this province."
MKO said March 18 that Northern winter roads being shut down early due to warm weather is officially a "crisis."
Harper and 20 other Northern chiefs unanimously voted for a resolution that declares a state of emergency in 10 MKO communities, citing the early spring from preventing the delivery of fuel, food and housing supplies to several remote communities.
"Tens of thousands of our people are on stand-by wondering how they are going to survive. The winter roads are the lifeline of many communities and no amount of planning could have prepared us for this," Harper says. "This would be unacceptable anywhere else in Canada - we need all weather roads to ensure the health and basic human needs of our people."
States of emergency have been declared by MKO called in Shamattawa, Northlands, Barren Lands, St. Theresa Point, Red Sucker Lake, Garden Hill, Wasagamack, God's Lake Narrows, Manto Sipi and Bunibonibee First Nation.
McDougall is calling on the provincial and federal governments to work with First Nation communities to come up with a solution for the long term in regards to winter roads.
"Immediately, the federal government needs to step up to the plate and provide Hercules aircraft from the Department of National Defence to airlift critical supplies to our communities," he said. MKO says all private Hercules aircrafts are currently booked for use in Northern Ontario where the same circumstance is unfolding.
The MKO chiefs are also calling on the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs for the development of a climate change adaptation strategy and fund for MKO First Nation communities.
Meanwhile Fisher Branch RCMP said March 18, "With the closure of winter roads in Manitoba, some people are attempting to find alternate routes of travel to transport goods to various communities along Lake Winnipeg.
"Today, RCMP in Fisher Branch learned that one alternate route being used involves travel on ice from Jackhead First Nations to Berens River. Police do not recommend this practice," said Sgt. Bill Richards.
"This particular route is not a designated winter road. It is known that one man went missing within the last 24 hours when he failed to arrive at Berens River. Searchers located the man unharmed earlier this afternoon after he was stranded overnight on the lake. This route has several soft sections of ice and some ice fractures exist especially close to Commissioner Island."
On March 18, at about 10:20 am, Oxford House and God's Lake RCMP received a complaint that a trucker returning from these communities after delivering groceries was overdue and had not been heard from for a few days.
While the driver was prepared with plenty of supplies, he did not have any means of communication and there was no way to determine his location. A family member was also concerned for the driver's health. RCMP chartered a helicopter to assist in the search to locate the missing truck.
The truck and 29-year-old driver who is a resident of Selkirk was located stuck on the road approximately 65 kilometres south of Oxford House. The driver was in good health "but was a little shook up about the ordeal as he had been stuck for about two days," said Sgt. Stephen Rear of the RCMP Oxford House detachment.
"The driver was brought back to Oxford House where he could make arrangements to retrieve his truck and contact his family," Rear said, adding,
"While on the patrol of the winter road, another disabled truck was located. Police spoke with the driver and he asked that his company be contacted to help him continue with this journey. "
Also March 18 at about 1:30 pm, the Island Lake RCMP detachment "became aware that several people from the communities of Garden Hill First Nation and St. Theresa Point First Nation, who were on their way from Winnipeg to the Island Lake area, became stranded on a winter road about 200 kilometres south of Island Lake," said Const. Xavier Pilon.
"RCMP learned that about 12 civilians had made their way to a Thunderbird Lodge on Wrong Lake, as such had shelter, and there were no indication of any medical emergency," Pilon said.
"The RCMP Island Lake detachment in partnership with the Garden Hill Band continued to assess the situation," Pilon said "Poor weather and visibility in the area delayed attempts to rescue the civilians until today.
"The RCMP has chartered a Beaver aircraft (with skis) to retrieve the community members from Wrong Lake and bring them back to safety," Pilon said.
