BEARSKIN LAKE – Canadian Armed Forces members have been activated to assist the fly-in community of Bearskin Lake First Nation in providing essential services during its COVID-19 outbreak.
During the late evening on Jan. 6, the federal government received a request for federal assistance from the province for the First Nation, after the community declared a state of emergency on Dec. 29.
“There is a protocol around bringing in armed forces and military support that does require a formal ask," said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services. "As you can imagine, if the military just shows up based on a press release or other types of public statements, it can create confusion and it’s not the best way to plan from the military’s perspective on how to use limited resources at a time where all of the country is under surge."
“Those formal requests allow for an invitation into the province, into the community, by the people that have jurisdiction in that area. Secondly, it’s very important from a planning perspective that we get the right kinds of people with the right kinds of skills at the right time.”
Hajdu says that in order to better handle the planning period, the lines of communications need to be tightened between the federal and provincial governments as well as NAN and its communities.
On Jan. 8, three Canadian Armed Forces members from Joint Task Force Central/3rd Ranger Patrol Group from CFB Borden visited Bearskin Lake First Nation for an initial assessment.
On Jan. 9, four local Canadian Rangers in the Bearskin Lake First Nation community were released from COVID-19-related isolation and activated.
The Rangers are assisting with general logistical support, ground transportation, assistance and coordination with whole of government partners, delivery of food, firewood, water and other supplies, and assistance with the running of the community emergency operations centre.
“We had about five health professionals as well, additional public health nurses and a variety of different health professionals to help with the disease itself,” said Hajdu
“But we also were paying members of Bearskin Lake and providing financial resources for Windigo Tribal Council to pay members to be able to help with some of those essential services. Some members of the community that were living in urban centres moved back to the community to help out.”
Hajdu also commended nearby First Nations who have donated supplies, sending planes with items such as food, medicine and air purifiers.
An additional group of two to three local Canadian Rangers will end their isolation on Jan. 10 and assist the community as it deals with the COVID-19 outbreak.
More local Canadian Rangers are expected to end COVID-19-related isolation in the coming days, and as they end their isolation, they will also be assisting the community in the management of this outbreak.
