Troubled Ontario First Nation makes $5,000 donation to wildfire relief:Red Cross

TORONTO – A northern Ontario First Nation that has been dealing with a suicide crisis among its young people has raised money for Alberta wildfire victims.

The Canadian Red Cross took to Twitter to say Attawapiskat Chief Bruce Shisheesh presented a $5,000 donation to the Alberta fire relief.

The Red Cross quotes Shisheesh as saying, “We want to help.”

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus, who represents the region encompassing Attawapiskat First Nation, said on Facebook that he’d heard the community was fundraising to help displaced Fort McMurray residents.

Attawapiskat declared a state of emergency last month following a spate of suicide attempts among its young people.

Last week, Health Canada said it would fund two additional mental health workers and a case manager for youth in Attawapiskat to assist with the reserve’s suicide crisis.