A northwestern Ontario native reserve that has been plagued by suicide and water trouble is hoping that change will soon be on the way.
Almost every home on the Pikangikum reserve is without running water.
There’s a chronic housing shortage, and suicide rates have been alarmingly high since the 1990’s.
Now, Pikangikum leaders are hoping their problems might be solved by a working group that has been set up with the federal government.
Former chief Dean Owen says fixing the basic infrastructure will go a long way toward alleviating social problems and making people feel better about their lives.
He says politicians have promised help in the past, and he’s hoping this time they will bring results.
Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice promised last month that the working group will result in concrete action.
