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<div style="display: block;" id="reader-header" class="header"> <b><small><small><small><a
href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/protesters-occupy-indigenous-northern-affairs-office-1.3533662?cmp=rss"
id="reader-domain" class="domain"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/protesters-occupy-indigenous-northern-affairs-office-1.3533662?cmp=rss">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/protesters-occupy-indigenous-northern-affairs-office-1.3533662?cmp=rss</a></a></small></small></small></b>
<h1 id="yui_3_11_0_1_1460587268830_29" class="story-title">Idle
No More, Black Lives Matter protesters demand action on
Attawapiskat suicide crisis</h1>
<h1 id="reader-title"><small><small>"We're prepared to stay as
long as it takes": Protesters occupy Indigenous and
Northern Affairs office</small></small></h1>
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<p><span class="spaced">By Chantal Da Silva, <a
href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/cbc-news-online-news-staff-list-1.1294364">CBC
News</a></span> <span
id="yui_3_11_0_1_1460587268830_28" class="delimited">Posted:
Apr 13, 2016 <br>
</span></p>
<p><span id="yui_3_11_0_1_1460587268830_28"
class="delimited"></span>Protesters are demanding that
the federal government take immediate action to address
the recent spate of suicide attempts in Attawapiskat
First Nation in northern Ontario.</p>
<p>As many as 20 members of Idle No More and Black Lives
Matter have been occupying the Toronto office
of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
since mid-morning, demanding that the federal government
take action following the suicide crisis.</p>
<ul>
<li><a
href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/attawapiskat-suicide-first-nations-emergency-1.3528747"><strong>Attawapiskat
declares state of emergency over spate of suicide
attempts</strong></a></li>
<li><strong></strong><a
href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/attawapiskat-suicide-emergency-going-forward-1.3531531"><strong>Desperation
in Attawapiskat, where First Nation leaders fear
for the young</strong></a></li>
<li><a
href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/attawapiskat-suicide-crisis-emergency-debate-1.3531829"><strong>Attawapiskat
suicide crisis: MPs hold emergency debate over
suicide attempts</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p>Toronto police who arrived at the Yonge Street and St.
Clair Avenue E. location after 10:45 a.m. ET
Wednesday say protesters removed a Canadian flag from
the office, but that the protest has been non-violent. </p>
<p>Protesters started the occupation with a die-in on the
floor of the office, before holding a ceremony, where
they burned sweetgrass and sage.</p>
<p>They say they are standing in solidarity with
the Attawapiskat community, which declared a state of
emergency Saturday following reports of 11 suicide
attempts in one day alone last weekend. There are
also reports of more than 100 suicide attempts and at
least one death since September in the remote community
of nearly 2,000 people.</p>
<h2 id="yui_3_11_0_1_1460587138355_28">Immediate and
long-term help </h2>
<p>Protesters say they will refuse to leave the premises
until INAC officials promise more action to address the
crisis.</p>
<p>"We're asking for immediate help and long-term help,"
protest organizer Sigrid Kneve told CBC Toronto over the
phone.</p>
<p>Kneve said a representative from INAC has come out and
spoken with protesters, telling them that INAC is "doing
all they can" to address the situation.</p>
<p>"It's the same old, same old," Kneve said. </p>
<p>She said protesters soon will decide on how long they
plan to remain inside the building. </p>
<p>A spokesperson for the department of Indigenous Affairs
said in a statement Wednesday that since the past
weekend, officials have been working with the First
Nation community and members of provincial government to
"provide mental health and community supports
to Attawapiskat and the individuals and families in
need." </p>
<p>"It is important to address the immediate crisis,"
Valerie Hache wrote.</p>
<p>"We are working to put in place medium and long-term
supports including addressing housing needs, ending boil
water advisories, adequately supporting education, and
ensuring child and family services are reformed and
properly funded."</p>
<p>Officials from Health Canada said on Tuesday afternoon
that 18 health workers, mental-health workers and police
were being dispatched to support
the Attawapiskat community.</p>
<p>"Our government wants to assure First Nations that we
are personally and directly engaged in the recent states
of emergencies that have been declared," reads a
statement by Health Minister Jane Philpott. </p>
<h2>Time for more action </h2>
<p>Protesters say it is not enough. They want to see the
federal government taking more immediate action to
address the needs of the community.</p>
<p>"We would like to hear that they are doing more than
just sending social workers after the fact. There are so
many issues at stake," protester Carrie Lester told CBC
Toronto by phone. </p>
<p>"We're prepared to stay as long as it takes," Lester
said. "Once we have got that determination ... then, we
are fine to go."<br>
</p>
<div class="figure">
<p class="figure-caption">The Attawapiskat First Nation
declared a state of emergency Saturday following
reports of 11 suicide attempts in one day alone last
weekend. There are also reports of more than 100
suicide attempts and at least one death since
September. ((CBC))</p>
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<h2>MPs hold emergency debate </h2>
<p>MPs <a
href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/attawapiskat-suicide-crisis-emergency-debate-1.3531829">debated
for more than five hours</a> Tuesday about how the
suicide crisis and other public health emergencies
facing First Nations communities across the country
should be addressed.</p>
<p>Many communities are without proper health services,
adequate housing and in some cases, access to clean
water. </p>
<p>A number of other First Nations communities have
declared public health emergencies this year.</p>
<p>At least four aboriginal leaders are scheduled to
appear before the Commons indigenous affairs committee
on Thursday to discuss the health crises facing their
communities.</p>
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