Bigstone Cree Nation bans illegal drugs on reserve

By Pearl Lorentzen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader In January, Bigstone Cree Nation issued a ban on illegal drug use within community boundaries. It was announced at a membership meeting on Jan. 19 and published on bigstone.ca on Jan. 20. However, not everyone agrees with the approach. Dr. Josie Auger has a PhD in public health sciences. She is a Bigstone member and lives in Wabasca. She works hybrid-remotely for the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry with a focus on Indigenous Health. She attended the Jan. 19 meeting and has some concerns. The letter from Bigstone council says, “We are choosing a path that prioritizes healing, safety, and collective responsibility.” Referring to this clause, Auger says, “I want to talk about the healing … recovery from…

This content is for Yearly Subscription, Yearly Subscription – Corporate, Print Subscription Only, and Canada Print and Online members only.
Register
Already a member? Log in here

Add Your Voice

Is there more to this story? We'd like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Contribute your voice on our contribute page.