Pimicikamak Cree Nation will host Premier Heather Stefanson and other political leaders as it grieves the deaths of three of its members in a Feb. 12 house fire.
Four people got out of the burning home alive but injured, while a toddler and two teenagers died in the blaze.
The Winnipeg Free Press reported Feb. 15 that the premier will visit the community, also known as Cross Lake, with Manitoba Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere expected to attend as well.
Pimicikamak Chief David Monias told the Free Press it’s been a long time since a premier has been to Cross Lake and said he welcomed the opportunity to show Stefanson the reality on the ground.
“Being here and being on site is best (compared to) just reading a report about it,” he said. “It’s always good to have face-to-face time, and it also gives us a (chance) to bring reality to the things that we’re talking about.”
In a news release distributed by Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) on Tuesday, Monias said that despite having nearly 10,000 residents, Cross Lake feels like a village.
“We are such a close-knit community,” he said. “This fire and the deaths of the young people impact all of us. We are all grieving and expect to go through a range of emotions in the coming days, weeks and months.”
Monias said nearly 20 community members have died already in 2022 and that residents have been in a constant state of grief.
The area where the fire occurred has no running water, the chief said, and Cross Lake does not have a fire hall. RCMP officers and First Nations Safety Officers tried to get into the home while the fire was burning but couldn’t because of the intense heat.
While the community copes with its losses, Monias told the Free Press that people in the rest of the province can help not only by praying for them but by lobbying governments.
“Start calling your MPs, your MLAs, the premier, the prime minister — and say, ‘Listen, you’ve got to something with housing and poverty on reserve,’” he said.
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas and MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee, a Pimicikamak member and former chief of the the First Nation, are also visiting Cross Lake in the wake of the tragedy.
“When someone passes in our communities, we all feel it,” Settee said. “When a tragedy such as a house fire takes place, our grief is immense. Most community members have a personal connection to those who are impacted, and it is natural we grieve with them. Grief is an ongoing process and I encourage all those who are hurting to reach out to others for support during this difficult time.”
MKO’s Mobile Crisis Response team is supporting community members as they deal with the loss of three young lives and MKO will continue to lobby the government to improve conditions on its 26 Northern Manitoba First Nations.
“We know there are ongoing issues and concerns with lack of housing, lack of infrastructure, and overcrowded housing in First Nations,” said Settee. “We will be examining these issues as we move forward.”
