Trudeau pledges more than $40M in funding for James Smith Cree Nation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more than $40 million in funding for James Smith Cree Nation during a visit to the community on Monday.
During his address, Trudeau pledged $40 million over six years towards a new wellness centre and to make improvements to an existing space.
He also promised $2.5 million over five years to increase access to traditional supports in the community.
Trudeau also accounced a $20 million top-up to the nationwide Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative, a federal program focused on safety in indigenous communities.
The Prime Minister began his visit on Monday by stopping at the graves of victims of a deadly stabbing rampage at a Saskatchewan First Nation before he was to meet with family members in private.
The Sept. 4 stabbings left 11 people dead and 18 injured in James Smith Cree Nation, as well as in the nearby village of Weldon, Sask., northeast of Saskatoon. The suspect in the attacks, 32-year-old Myles Sanderson, died in police custody.
The prime minister was also scheduled to spend part of the day in meetings with leaders and community members. He was to make a public announcement in the afternoon.
Trudeau, accompanied by Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu, went to Saint Stephen's Anglican Church, where seven of the victims are buried. They were joined by James Smith Cree Nation Chief Wally Burns, as well as Peter Chapman First Nation Chief Robert Head and Chakastaypasin First Nation Chief Calvin Sanderson.
The wind blew fresh snow around as Trudeau trudged through nearly knee-high drifts to get around the cemetery. He laid down tobacco and made the sign of the cross at each of the graves. Trudeau also took a moment of silence after the chiefs briefly spoke at the different locations.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, the first Indigenous person in Canada to hold the title, visited the cemetery at the same church in late September.
The stabbings amplified calls for more Indigenous-led policing, and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has promised to "work around the clock" to table legislation this fall that would declare Indigenous policing an essential service.
Burns has been among those calling for tribal policing and has also said the community needs funding for housing, especially for those reluctant to return to homes where family members were killed.
Saskatchewan's chief coroner has said two public inquests will be held into the stabbings -- one that will focus on the 11 killings, and another that will focus on the death of Sanderson in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2022.
--With CTV News Files
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv's latest apparent war innovation
Russian air defences downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have featured heavily in what has largely become a war of attrition.