Article content

After an increasing number of young people attempted to take their lives in a remote northern Ontario First Nation last week, the chief and council have declared a state of emergency.

The suicide epidemic in Attawapiskat started in the fall, when a number of people tried to kill themselves, said Jackie Hookimaw, a resident of First Nation on James Bay.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Attawapiskat First Nation declares state of emergency after 11 suicide attempts in one day Back to video

Hookimaw’s great niece Sheridan took her own life in October. She was 13 years old. Hookimaw said Sheridan had a big heart, but she was plagued with multiple health conditions and was bullied at school.

More recently, Hookimaw said, she was at the community’s hospital where she saw a number of teenage girls being treated after purposely overdosing on drugs. As she was leaving, a man came in for treatment. Later, she would learn that he, too, had tried to take his own life.

There’s different layers of grief

The Attawapiskat First Nation, which has been plagued by suicides for decades, is home to about 2,000 people, and Hookimaw said the community needs more resources.