Calls for government support intensify as 3rd Vancouver Island Indigenous group declares state of emergency

Emily Fagan · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 4:51 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

The Homalco First Nation is holding its 4th ceremonial successful six months this week for a young assemblage subordinate who died from a cause overdose.

The northbound Island Nation is the 3rd Indigenous radical connected Vancouver Island to state a authorities of exigency owed to the toxic cause crisis. It is joining calls for national and provincial authorities leaders to instrumentality urgent enactment and supply resources to assistance them woody with it.

"This situation is simply a nonstop effect of the aftermath of residential schools and the lasting generational trauma that continues to devastate Indigenous communities," it said.

"The toxic cause epidemic is not conscionable a Homalco issue—it is simply a nonstop effect of colonial policies that fractured families, suppressed culture, and near lasting scars connected Indigenous people."

In March 2024, the Gwa'Sala-Nakwaxda'xw Nations, 2 northbound Island Nations with a colonisation of 1,100, declared a authorities of exigency pursuing the deaths of 11 members. The Nation said that galore died owed to cause poisoning and alcohol. 

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, which represents 14 West Coast nations with astir 10,000 members connected the island, declared a authorities of exigency successful September owed to the intelligence wellness and opioid crisis. One of their subordinate communities, the Ahousaht First Nation, had declared a authorities of exigency 2 weeks anterior to that, pursuing the deaths of 2 young radical wrong hours of each different successful abstracted incidents.

First Nations person says 'we're successful a crisis'

Terry Teegee, determination main of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, says that 10 years into the toxic cause crisis, not capable co-ordinated, culturally due enactment oregon resources person gone to Indigenous communities. Indigenous people, peculiarly women, marque up a disproportionate fig of the lives mislaid to toxic drugs.

"I deliberation we're successful a situation authorities with galore First Nations crossed this province," said Teegee, who blames the generational trauma from residential schools for the extent of the current crisis.

"One of the things that we're seeing sadly is astir a full procreation dice arsenic a effect of the opioid crisis."

Homalco Chief Darren Blaney spoke successful a video posted to societal media announcing the nation's authorities of emergency. He expressed sadness astatine the caller deaths of its 4 young members and said that Homalco leaders would be holding a assemblage meal connected March 14 to sermon plans for addressing the crisis.

"It's going to instrumentality much than main and assembly to assistance the assemblage to support the cause dealers out, but besides to enactment radical erstwhile they're trying to sober up," helium said successful the video. "We request to person our young radical beryllium capable to recognize each of their potential."

The enactment of the Homalco Nation and the First Nations Health Authority were not instantly disposable for an interrogation erstwhile contacted by CBC.

Blaney called connected the state to prosecute with the Homalco and different nations who person declared a authorities of exigency to travel up with immediate long-term solutions done a government-to-government process. The CBC did not person an contiguous effect from the state erstwhile asked for a comment.

Blaney says helium hopes to person much backing to physique a trauma centre to assistance forestall aboriginal deaths.

"We've mislaid excessively galore radical to drugs and alcohol; we tin not transportation connected on that path," helium said. "We volition each heal from this process."