SHOAL LAKE CREE NATION MOURNS THE TRAGIC LOSS OF YOUNG COMMUNITY MEMBER

May 29, 2025
3 min read

(Treaty 5, 6 Territory, SK) – The Shoal Lake Cree Nation (SLCN), and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations have issued a joint media release on the recent, tragic loss of a young community member on Shoal Lake Cree Nation (SLCN), May 23, 2025, which has devastated and impacted the whole community. The loss of young people is deeply tragic and touches entire communities in ways that ripple far beyond immediate family, friends and communities. When someone young dies, it creates a particular kind of grief as there is an inherent expectation that our young people will outlive the old.

“Our community is feeling this great loss because our young people represent hope, light, and the future itself. They are often the center of our communities which feel this loss acutely because young people represent hope, energy, and love. They are often at the center of multiple social networks - schools, sports teams, friend groups, families, and neighborhoods,” said Chief Marcel Head, SLCN. “Their absence creates a void that extends through all these interconnected circles. Teachers lose a student they were watching grow and learn. Classmates lose a peer who shared their daily experiences. The entire fabric of our community life is altered when these vital threads are suddenly cut.”

“Systemic barriers, and inadequate funding have left many communities without the resources they need to support their members through mental health challenges, trauma and crisis situations. The frustration runs deep because these aren't isolated incidents - they're part of a pattern of neglect that has persisted for generations,” says Chief Bobby Cameron. “Communities know what they need: 24/7 crisis intervention services, accessible addiction treatment programs, youth mental health supports, traditional healing resources, and properly funded community wellness teams. Yet year after year, the gap between what's promised and what's delivered remains huge.”

“We all must commit to meaningful investment in community-led mental health programs that integrate First Nation knowledge systems, ceremonies, and land-based healing with accessible counselling services, crisis intervention, and peer support networks. This means training more First Nation mental health workers, supporting Elders and traditional healers, and ensuring that services are delivered in ways that respect cultural protocols and community values,” added Chief Marcel Head. “Our young people especially need to see that help is available and that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. When we invest properly in First Nations mental health and wellness, we're investing in the future of these communities and honouring the resilience that has carried them through generations of challenges."

"As a leader, there is no pain deeper than having to comfort families who have lost their children, knowing that we could have done more if we had the proper resources and support systems in place. These aren't just statistics - when we lose them to suicide, addiction, or mental health crises, we all experience this loss,” says Vice Chief Fabian Head. “We’ve stood in too many community halls, speaking at too many memorials for our young people who should still be here with us today. Each time, we’re reminded that our current approach isn't working. We can't keep having the same conversations, making the same promises, while our youth continue to struggle without adequate support.”

First Nations communities need immediate access to 24/7 crisis intervention services staffed by culturally trained mental health professionals who can respond within minutes, not hours, when our people are in acute distress. Every First Nation must have dedicated mental health workers and peer support programs that combine traditional healing approaches with modern therapeutic interventions, funded at levels that ensure consistent, long-term service delivery. Provincial and federal governments must establish emergency funding protocols that can be activated immediately when communities identify at-risk individuals, providing rapid access to residential treatment, family support services, and intensive community-based interventions before tragedies occur.

Shoal Lake Cree Nation is situated in east-central Saskatchewan, 92 kilometers east of Nipiwin (off Highway 55), 60 kilometers west of the Manitoba border and 241 kilometers north east of Prince Albert. The dialect is the Swampy Cree N dialect, and they are a member nation of the Prince Albert Grand Council.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. FSIN is committed to honouring and upholding the spirit and intent of the Treaties and advocating for the promotion, protection and implementation of the Treaty promises made more than a century ago.