“CATASTROPHIC HARM”: Manitoba First Nation calls state of emergency over drug abuse, overdose deaths

By Dave Baxter  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Long Plain First Nation (LPFN) is calling a state of emergency, as the local chief says drug abuse and drug overdose deaths continue to take lives and cause “catastrophic harm” in the community. “We are losing people, and sadly we are losing young people,” LPFN Chief David Meeches said on Tuesday, one day after LPFN put out a notice to community members that they are calling a state of emergency in the community located west of Winnipeg near Portage la Prairie. “We’re mobilizing now, because if we don’t more lives are going to be lost to the drug crisis.” Meeches said he does not have a number of how many drug-related deaths LPFN has had in the last few weeks and months,…

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