Evacuation order lifted, Kashechewan residents to return home

KASHECHEWAN FIRST NATION – Kashechewan First Nation Chief Leo Friday has rescinded an evacuation order freeing residents to return to their homes.

However, Friday was heavily critical of the federal government’s inaction to prevent the conditions that have led to annual flood threats and evacuations in recent years.

“Our members, both at home and in Kapuskasing, are miserable and angry at how past agreements with the government of Canada have unraveled to this date,” Friday said in a release issued on Monday night. “They are concerned about the dyke safety and can see the panic measures put in place by INAC every spring.

Friday said his people need to maintain their connection with the Albany River, but government response has ripped away their spiritual and cultural ways.

It’s led to a rash of other issues, he said.

“The recent health scare with our children and the many suicides that we had to deal with over the winter months shows that our members recognize that many different factors affect their health and lifestyle,” Friday said.

“We, as leaders, must look at these factors in a holistic way and not just address the symptoms.”

Friday called on Ottawa to enact a past memorandum of understanding signed in 2007.

“While there will be no quick and easy solutions, this discussion could lead to a common understanding of the base issues affecting many similar First Nations and how to resolve the issues on a nation to nation basis,” he said.

Friday said residents could begin returning home as early as Tuesday and thanked government organizations who helped ensure the most recent evacuation went as smoothly as possible.