The Campbell Government must provide resources to address an epidemic of suicides which has rocked First Nations communities in the north , say New Democrat MLAs Robin Austin and Gary Coons .

“There needs to be more access to mental health services in small communities. People who live in places like Hazelton have no real access to psychiatrists, and very little access to other mental health services,” said New Democrat Rural Caucus Chair Austin. “The government needs to take leadership on this issue; children are dying.”

Eight people have committed suicide in Hazelton in the past year; most of them First Nations youth. This is in addition to several youth a week who attempt suicide. The epidemic is stretching available services to the breaking point.

“If the government doesn’t take immediate action to break the cycle of suicide in communities like Hazelton then more lives will be tragically lost,” said Austin. “There is no time to waste.”

Other communities, like Kitwanga, are facing tragedies of a similar magnitude, according to Austin, who has been in contact with Chief Gary Williams of Kitwanga. Chief Williams has grave concerns about the number of attempts and suicides in his community, as well.

“The youth in these communities are facing a litany of problems, and thus far the government has done very little to help them,” said Austin. “Where are the recreational opportunities, the economic and cultural opportunities for these young people? There aren’t even adequate basic social supports in place to help these teens.”

Poverty is a crippling problem in communities like Hazelton and Kitwanga, where the unemployment rate is more than 80 per cent.

“Communities like Kitwanga and Hazelton don’t have the resources to fill in the gaps in services left by both the federal and provincial governments,” said Austin. “The $4 billion surplus that the Campbell Liberals brag about is being paid for by people in small, rural and First Nations communities, in the form of service reductions and government indifference.”