‘There’s someone who cares’ Lyle Fox tells DFC students

Lyle Fox wants his fellow First Nation youth to know when they feel like there is no way out, all they have to do is ask for help.

“Reach out,” he said. “There’s someone who cares. There’s a teacher, counselors, parents, siblings. All they’ve got to do is ask; reach out and take the help that’s out there.”
Fox addressed Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School students Thursday afternoon after completing a 10-day, 400-kilometre walk from Pelican Falls High School to DFC.

The Penassi Walk for Prescription Drug Abuse began Aug. 22 and ended when Fox and his fellow walkers arrived at DFC, the school he graduated from in 2003.

Fox wanted to make the trek to raise awareness of the prescription drug abuse happening in remote First Nation communities.

“You see it every day,” he said. “I’d like to see the levels of government accepting it. Obviously it’s a problem. I’m not sure if they recognize it as a problem.”

Fox’s efforts were praised by Nishnawbe Aski Nation deputy grand chief Mike Metatawabin.

“It helps us to create that awareness we so desperately need to bring forth all levels of government, especially in cities as well,” he said.

Nishnawbe Aski Police Services seized 8,500 OxyContin tablets, worth about $3.4 million, in Northern communities in 2010. They received 20,325 calls last year, most linked to increased prescription drug use.

Prescription drug abuse is causing hardship in many remote communities; it has a crippling effect, said Metatawabin.

“When you have so many people that are addicted, it affects the entire community. Everything comes to a halt. We’ve seen that happen with Fort Hope,” he said.

What NAN would like is to partner with the various levels of government and work together in trying to stop the flow of drugs to the communities and also help those who are addicted heal themselves.

“As in most cases, we need money. We need resources,” said Metatawabin. “That’s where we’d like to partner with government to help us tackle the problem, to help us deal with the issue.”