A federal and provincial crisis team has flown to a northern Ontario First Nation that declared a state of emergency over the weekend after 11 residents attempted to kill themselves Saturday night.
Officials at the Attawapiskat First Nation, a Cree community of 2,000 on remote James Bay, say a total of 101 people of all ages have tried to commit suicide since September, 28 of them in March.
The youngest was 11, the oldest was 71.
One, a 13-year-old girl, succeeded.
In September, a group of five girls overdosed and had to be flown out of the community.
Chief Bruce Shisheesh says there are many causes for suicide attempts, including overcrowding in homes, bullying, and the lasting effects of emotional damage of abuse during enrolment at residential schools.
Chief Shisheesh also cited drug abuse, saying many residents try to numb themselves after physical and sexual abuse.
On Twitter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the news from Attawapiskat “heartbreaking.”
The crisis team includes mental health nurses and social workers.
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