First Nation in Manitoba declares state of emergency due to drugs, violence

The chief of a northern Manitoba First Nation says her community is so overwhelmed by drugs and the resulting violence that her members live in fear. Sayisi Dene First Nation has declared a state of emergency and called on provincial and federal governments for better policing and mental health and addiction supports. The fly-in community about 325 kilometres north of Thompson sees an RCMP presence about once a month, with two officers travelling there, often for less than a day. Chief Kelly-Ann Thom‑Duck says recent violence has members scared to visit the band office or grocery store, and th…