Justice Kent (photo courtesy of Mercedes Mwemera)

By Liam Verster

Drug Awareness Walk

Justice’s Overdose Awareness Walk calls for local supports, crack down on illicit drugs

Sep 2, 2020 | 1:29 PM

A Horse Lake First Nation woman is organizing an awareness walk in honour of her late sister, and to call for more action by local leaders to fight illicit drugs in the community.

Mercedes Mwemera is organizing Justice’s Overdose Awareness Walk, named after her sister Justice Kent, who died from an overdose. She says this is an effort to draw attention to the illicit drug overdoses in her community and the surrounding area, and the impact it has on people.

“Horse Lake First Nation has had 10 overdoses roughly since 2015 to 2020, and the reason that I’m advocating for this is because, unfortunately, the drug dealers are on the reserve, and it’s easy for our members to have easy access, to just go to a next door neighbour or just walk there and access the drugs. I believe that if we were able to take the drug dealers [off the reserve], there would be a limited overdoses.”

Mwemera says she initially had the idea to do the walk to push for more law enforcement to stop dealers in the community, but after speaking with members of the community, she decided against that and instead this walk will focus more on an overall awareness and a broader call to action.

“Enough is enough. Aboriginal people are killing each other, regardless if people don’t see it that way. Because, yes it’s the drug addict’s choice to take that offer of drugs, or to deal with their trauma that way, but it’s also another part where people are handing them something to feed their addiction.”

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

She adds that many First Nations people are still feeling the traumatic effects of being pulled away from their families and put into Residential Schools where their identities were stripped away, which often leads to drug or alcohol abuse in First Nation’s communities.

Mwemera says she believes local leaders should step up, and take action to help put a stop to illicit drugs flowing through the community and killing people.

“I believe my leaders can do it, I have faith in them. Maybe there’s some barriers that I don’t know that they’re facing and that they haven’t shared with the community, but they are a representation of us, and I’ll stand behind them to try to do something.

“I’ll do the research, because Samson Cree Nation did it, they successfully did it, they created bylaws and things that helped their First Nations. And also three other reserves in Saskatchewan has done it. I think it’s just having that one person to go the extra mile.”

She says, in the long term, she would like to see action taken to remove drug dealers from her community, but in the short term, there needs to be more awareness.

The Northreach Society and the Dawson Creek Community Opioid Team have both agreed to attend and participate in the walk. While there, they will be providing Naloxone Training, and providing Naloxone kits for those who are interested in carrying one.

However, there needs to be more local supports and services to help prevent these overdoses from occuring in the first place.

Justice’s Overdose Awareness Walk goes on Thursday, September 3 at the Multiplex Arena, and Mwemera invites those from all over to come and add their voice to the cause.

“If anyone has lost a family member, a friend or someone they know to overdoses, I encourage that you bring a photo or a sign for justice for them.”

Mwemera says everyone who passes away from an overdose needs a voice, and she will be the voice for her sister, adding that “this is not just something that we can brush away, because we’re not the only people suffering from it.”