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Pikangikum

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Tribal Council Wants Indigenous-Led Emergency Response

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A Tribal Council in the region says it’s time for an emergency response led by First Nations peoples, for First Nations peoples.

The Independent First Nations Alliance says Ontario is struggling to host all the evacuees who are fleeing wildfires in the Northwest, and has already dispatched its own system.

CEO Matthew Hoppe says IFNA created its own Emergency Operations Centre in 2019, in response to the 2019 fires in Pikangikum which forced the entire community to evacuate twice.

He argues their emergency management system is ready and experienced, and only needs the “resources, equipment, and budget” to make that sustainable.

“Back in 2019, with only two fires, IFNA filled a significant operational gap to support the evacuation of Pikangikum. This year, fires directly impact five communities and threatening more as fire season continues, with provincial resources stressed,” Hoppe says. “We know the needs of First Nations communities differ from those of urban communities, and we are ready to both provide support to the province as well as access support from other groups to make sure those needs are met.”

The group is also reacting to Premier Doug Ford’s suggestion this week that Pikangikum First Nation evacuees could be hosted in the Toronto area.

The community evacuation began on July 8th due to the threat of forest fires.

A statement from the council indicates that’s an example of Ontario’s emergency management plan focusing too much on urban centres.

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OPP Back In Pikangikum

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Provincial Police have returned to Pikangikum, after the community expelled OPP over “serious misconduct allegations.”

They were kicked out of the community for six weeks.

A statement from the First Nation says it reached an agreement with the OPP this past Tuesday, and officers returned to Pikangikum on Wednesday night.

Part of the agreement requires Provincial Police to work with the new Pikangikum Peacekeepers who were trained in response to what the community calls its “policing and nursing crisis.”

It also includes a promise to provide the training needed to establish auxiliary constables and set up a stand-alone Pikangikum Police Service.

Community leaders say the situation opened their eyes to several gaps in policing, health care and first response services in Pikangikum.

While police were gone, government nurses were also flown out of and into the First Nation every day, which officials say raised concerns about residents’ safety.

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Three New Fires Reported In Region

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The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is confirming three new forest fires in the region.

As of the late afternoon yesterday the Ministry confirmed a fire near Pikangikum as well as two fires in the Kenora area.

On Kenora area fire is located on an island on Lake Lulu 15km west of Kenora and the other is west of Hawk Lake and around 32km east of Kenora.

All of the new fires are 0.1 hectare in size and not under control.

There was an additional fire confirmed on an island on Dore Lake in the Dryden area on August 2nd, but has been declared out at 0.1 hectare in size.

There are currently 9 active fires in the region, three are not under control, three are under control and three are being observed.

The forest fire hazard is mainly high to moderate across the region.

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OPP Ice Road Challenge Raises $52,000

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Around $52,000 for a bike program in Pikangikum First Nation thanks to a journey by Provincial Police officers and other residents as well.

42 participants participated in an Ice Road Challenge which had them ride around 110 kilometres from Red Lake to Pikangikum on bicycles.

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique says the bike program has a lot of benefits such as training community members how to ride and repair the bikes, creating new employment opportunities, and it also helps promote a healthy lifestyle.

He says that the challenge originally started as just a donation of bikes, but then grew to a donation of an entire bike shop in a shipping container.

Carrique also says the journey had to be split into three parts due to the extreme cold temperatures in the area at the time.

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Rewards Offered In Pikangikum Cold Cases

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Provincial Police are reviving two cold cases in northwestern Ontario.

Detective Inspector Randy Heida is hoping a financial incentive will help investigators solve the deaths of 83-year-old James Strang and 33-year-old Judy Ann Quill more than 10 years ago in the community of Pikangikum.

Strang died in his own home in 2008 while Quill’s body was found by the side of the road in 2009.

Heida notes separate $50,000 rewards are being offered for information into their deaths.

A dedicated phone line has been set up to allow for confidential tips.

That number is 1-833-728-3415.

Heida says “We’re confident that somebody that was either in the community or is from Pikangikum heard something or saw something and we need them to help us now.”

He would not confirm whether they believe one or two people are responsible for the deaths, but notes “they have similar circumstances regarding the cause of death, but (police) are always keeping an open mind.”

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False Abduction Claim Results In Arrest

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Thunder Bay Police are charging a 29-year-old man from Pikangikum First Nation with public mischief after they say his claim of being abducted ended up being fake.

The man told police last week he was shoved into a vehicle on Arthur Street but was able to get away to safety.

Detective Sergeant Tracy Lewis says police are frustrated because it takes significant resources to investigate a serious allegation like an attempted abduction.

“We’re devoting resources to this and there are other incidents that victims deserve our time to be working with them. So, you will prioritize your interviews, prioritize what few officers that are able to work on it are now working on that and not working on the other lists that are ongoing.”

Lewis notes crying wolf like this also hurts a communities reputation as it strikes fear among residents and visitors.

She stresses they want everyone to feel safe when staying in Thunder Bay.

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Some Pikangikum Residents Returning Home

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Although an evacuation order hasn’t been called off, some Pikangikum evacuees have decided to return home.

Thunder Bay City Manager Norm Gale says a number of residents flew out Wednesday night and several are leaving today. (Thursday)

Gale says “People have started to return on their own volition and we’re not involved in the formal part of repatriating those people.”

He says no time line has been secured for the return of all displaced residents.

There is no word on how many residents have returned home.

The Pikangikum forest fire is still not under control at 44,541 hectares but heavy rains have toned down fire behaviour and helped in suppression efforts.

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Northern Fire Evacuees Arrested In Regina

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Regina Police have charged three men from Northern Ontario following two separate incidents at the University of Regina.

The school is hosting fire evacuees from Pikangikum.

Police say a 24-year-old man was assaulted on Friday night following a fight in one of the residence towers.

19-year-old Edward Dawson Wade Keeper and 22-year-old Darian Moose where both arrested.

On Saturday morning, Police took a 29-year-old man into custody after a 28-year-old woman was seriously hurt following an altercation in one of the residence rooms.

The name of the accused is not being released as Police say it’s a domestic-related incident. (Releasing the name of the person charged would identify the victim.)

 

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Thunder Bay Looking For Help With Evacuees

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Thunder Bay is preparing to host 400 Pikangikum evacuees as fires threaten their homes.

It believed there may be another 600 who came to the city on their own.

City Manager Norm Gale notes although they are nearing capacity, they will continue to work with their community partners to ensure everyone is safe.

“We want people to be safe; we want people to get the care they need. We understand the duress they are under; we understand they have been forced from their homes, and they are in a different place. We are here to help, we want to do the best we can, but we have extraordinary constraints on our end, and we appeal for help,” says Gale.

The City Manager adds some services and supports may be limited or unavailable at this time, but the city is doing its best to help everyone fleeing Pikangikum.

Two hundred evacuees arrived in the city Wednesday. Another 100 are expected Friday with another 100 to arrive next Wednesday.

Thunder Bay has been officially under a state of emergency since May. That has allowed it to get help from the provincial government through emergency programs and services.

The city would like more communities in Ontario to step up and become host communities as more fires start to threaten more than one remote community.

The City of Dryden has stated it doesn’t have sufficient room to act as a host community right now.

Sioux Lookout and Lac Seul First Nation are housing evacuees but are also at full capacity.