Suicide prevention

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Carrying signs, an eagle staff, and a talking stick, a group of people who began a walk to Ottawa in Nanaimo, B.C. on April 1 arrived in Hobbema on April 24. The 10 people taking part in the Youth Suicide Prevention walk are hoping to create awareness on the topic of suicide in Aboriginal communities across Canada.

They met with chief and council at the Ermineskin band office where each member of the group stood up and disclosed how suicide has affected their lives.

Chief George Mine of the Ermineskin thanked the walkers and said that they were doing a selfless duty to bring this topic to the rest of Canada.

After the meeting, the group walked over to the Samson First Nation where more than 50 people gathered at the cultural centre to hear the group's testimony.

A drum group from the community performed honor songs, and a luncheon was provided.

"The idea is to raise awareness all across Canada and at the same time we want some advice from Aboriginal communities along the way. We don't know much about what we are doing, but we might get some ideas and encouragement along the way," said walker Paul Laliberte. "We are in a crisis in Canada with our Aboriginal youth, and financial help is needed to address this issue."

Laliberte said he and the group would like to see a centre built in Nanaimo that would house various health programs for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people on the prevention of suicide. He would also like to see money poured into programs dealing with suicide in Aboriginal communities, and monies to help pay for the cost of a help line in Aboriginal communities, and counselors to be available 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. The group is planning to arrive in Ottawa to present their ideas about suicide prevention on June 21, National Aboriginal Day.

Rick Lightning, the crisis intervention worker at the family wellness centre with Hobbema Health Services, said the group is doing a good thing trying to raise awareness about suicide.

"It is a heavy burden that they are carrying. They are doing what a lot of people are not doing and it takes a lot of courage and faith to do that. I wish them success because their success is if they get their message across to the prime minister then their success will be everyone's success."

Rick Lightning believes that one reason for the high number of suicides in Aboriginal communities is that it is often romanticized. He's heard kids say that they think that they are going to have this wonderful funeral and people are going to stand by their coffins and cry. He said that he tells the young people that they are not going to a wedding when they die from suicide, that what they are doing is final.

"Death is final. There is no turning back when you do it. It is not like you wake up the next morning, and say 'Oh, I made a mistake and I change my mind." Lightning said that he wishes young people would realize that they are not the only ones who go through self-doubt and think they are not perfect. He said that everyone, at one time or another, realizes that they are not perfect and everyone has made mistakes.

"Sure, it might be hard while someone is going through problems or feelings of doubt. Every one of us living in this world goes through that. Look at all the other people. I bet if you asked them if they were perfect they would tell you they were not. They would tell you they wish they had a different nose, better clothes, a better car, a better job, better relatives, better parents, that they were skinnier or fatter, taller, shorter, or whatever, and youth have to realize that they are not the only ones in the world who go through self-doubt," he said.