Attawapiskat chief says Mushkegowuk Council needs a policy on cannabis legalization

 It's a remote First Nation that has fought hard against illegal drugs entering the community.

Now it is having to deal with one of those drugs becoming legal and entering the community freely.

Attawapiskat is among several First Nations who are under a state of emergency due to illicit drugs and alcohol entering the community.

The first anniversary of that declaration by the Mushkegowuk Council is Nov. 15.

On the council's website, it remains posted.

"A pandemic caused by illegal drugs and alcohol (including prescription drugs) continues to grow rapidly and is a very serious problem for the Mushkegowuk First Nations. The illegal drug trade is overpowering, it's a major source for the criminal activity, family difficulties and a contributing factor to many deaths. As well, the illegal drug trade is adversely affecting public safety, health, child welfare, education, housing and police services." 

Now Chief Ignace Gull says while the main focus remains on curtailing opiates and narcotics from flying into the community, he's not sure what should be done about legal marijuana.

He and other volunteers have done their own searches of incoming passengers at the Attawapiskat airport for illegal drugs. He has even rented dogs and gone door-to-door looking for drugs.

But Gull says anything that comes through Canada Post, as cannabis orders will, is untouchable.

He says he still doesn't have a good picture of how to respond to legal marijuana.

Jurisdiction remains unclear

The federal government has left the regulation of recreational cannabis to the provinces, but First Nations are considered federal lands. 

The issue is whether provincial cannabis laws apply on reserve. 

Gull says he has heard of other communities deciding to ban delivery of recreational cannabis to their reserves to limit provincial sales of the drug. The Chippewas of the Thames in southern Ontario have taken that option. So has Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island.

He thinks that may be an idea to bring to the next assembly.

"I think that that is something chiefs within the Mushkegowuk area collectively that can address -- not to allow any of the shipping to go up there because there's no way of controlling it," says Gull. "And no way of detecting the stuff that's going to be shipped up there so I think the chiefs are going to have to do this collectively to find a way to ban it, or trace it in some way."

In the meantime, Gull says he can't predict what will happen.

He says he will be at the annual general assembly of Mushkegowuk communities that will be held on Nov. 7,8, and 9 in Timmins and hopes the topic is addressed.