A spate of suicides is the latest crisis to rock remote First Nations in northern Ontario.

Over the course of about one week, three youths and a young man took their lives, said Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a political organization that represents 49 communities in the region.

Two 12-year-old children from Pikangikum died over the Canada Day weekend; and a 15-year-old girl from Nibinamik died on Tuesday, said Fiddler.

A family member confirmed that one of the Pikangikum victims was 12-year-old Mikaia Pascal.

“It’s becoming overwhelming,” Fiddler said. “Communities like Pikangikum and Nibinamik are just trying to cope right now and address the immediate crisis.”

Nibinamik, a First Nation of about 300 people, lost a youth to suicide two years ago. The community has confronted issues concerning suicidal ideation since that date, said Chief Johnny Yellowhead, who did not disclose the identity of the 15-year-old who died, out of respect for the family.

“It’s been very shocking for all of us,” he said. “We want any kind of support from outside resources, especially government agencies. We want them to recognize the situation that we’re in, and the lack of resources we have.”

An autopsy is being performed in Kenora and a funeral is slated to take place in Thunder Bay, he said.

Pikangikum First Nation deputy chief Brian Keeper confirmed that two 12-year-olds — a boy and a girl — took their own lives.

Keeper said the whole community is taking the deaths hard.

“They were very young,” he said.

Keeper did not confirm the names of the deceased out of respect for their grieving families and the community.

Both children were transported to Winnipeg, but neither survived. Their bodies will be returned home Thursday.

There are no immediate plans for funerals, but the children’s bodies will be brought to their family’s homes, where crisis intervention teams will be available, Keeper said.

“They’ve been mobilized towards the families that are hurting,” he said.

Health Canada, which has responsibility for mental health and suicide prevention in First Nations communities, said in an emailed statement that it is “deeply saddened” by the news of the four deaths.

“Health Canada has reached out to the communities and is actively working with Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, the Kenora Chiefs Advisory, the province and other partner organizations to ensure they have the necessary mental health resources in each community, as soon as possible,” the statement said.

The department is also working with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and other partners on a number of fronts to help improve mental health on reserve, and created a 24/7 crisis hotline (1-855-242-3310) that includes counsellors who speak Cree, Ojibwa and Inuktut, as well as English and French, the statement said.

Keeper said the deaths in his community are the result of multiple complex factors, including the ongoing housing crisis in his community.

“People need space. We have multiple families in one house,” Keeper said.

Pikangikum is about 500 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, while Nibinamik First is about 350 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.

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In an emailed statement, Indigenous Affairs said it has committed $267 million toward 965 First Nation-led projects across the country for the construction, renovation and service of homes in First Nation communities across Canada.

The rash of suicides didn’t stop with Pikangikum and Nibinamik. When Fiddler and other First Nation leaders met in Thunder Bay to discuss community safety for students on Wednesday, another youth — a 23-year-old man from Fort Severn First Nation — took his own life at a city hostel.

“I suspect the reason why he stayed at hostel was that he was in Thunder Bay for medical reasons,” said Fiddler. “It’s always concerning when you lose loved ones, but when it’s away from home, it’s even more of a concern.”

Fiddler said since January, 18 First Nation members have been lost to suicide.

“Many of our communities are small and close-knit. When there is a tragic loss it has an impact right across the community,” he said. “Our goal is to stabilize the situation on the ground to address the immediate crisis.”

Fiddler reiterated a point he’s made before to both the media and Ottawa: “We need to start addressing the long-term strategies. We cannot continue to operate in the crisis state. It’s exhausting, and it’s not a healthy place for our children, especially.”

Children as young as 10 are patrolling Wapekeka First Nation, he said, another remote community grappling with clusters of suicides and suicide pacts. The body of 12-year-old Jenera Roundsky was found in a community ice rink last month, triggering 35 children to be sent into a mental health crisis.

“They’re trying to protect their friends, peers and siblings,” he said. “These children should be enjoying their childhood. They should be going out to play and having fun.”

Northern Ontario NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) said the federal government has these deaths on its hands, and there will be more if the government doesn’t soon commit additional resources.

“We need more coherent supports in place to address those shock waves, but that’s not happening at the federal level,” Angus said.

Angus said the issues underlying the deaths from suicide are the same ones contributing to Indigenous deaths in foster care, and the high number of First Nations students who have died while living in Thunder Bay to attend school.

Chronic underfunding for Indigenous education, on-reserve infrastructure, and mental health supports are all driving up the death toll, Angus said.

“These funding decisions have consequences, and those consequences are being counted in lives,” he said.