Montreal Lake has reached a breaking point with rampant drug and alcohol abuse in the community.
The band has made a series of resolutions that target drug dealers, and offer supports to users.
In a recent band memo, the Chief and Council outline the impact of illegal drug and alcohol sales, saying it has “reached crisis proportions. It is a major cause of poverty, vandalism and break and enter, violence, and family breakdowns in our community.”
The band’s more recent step to crack down on the issue is to offer of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of drug peddlers. Chief Edward Henderson says they want people to feel comfortable sharing that information with the band.
“Your police station or your substation is right in the community and people see people going in and out so we had to look at some options as to how we can help the police get that information, get the intel to know who the dealers are,” he said.
“A lot of people are intimidated, and being a community where everybody knows everybody, I think that’s one of the issues.”
Henderson says gangs are often behind the drugs, but dealers might think twice now.
This idea came about after realizing that it will take more than actions by local leadership, the RCMP, and CrimeStoppers to address the issue.
They’ve had recent band council, community, and justice committee meetings to understand the scope of the issue and to come up with potential ideas.
Council passed several motions last week to move ahead with possibly creating new bylaws to slow down the sale of alcohol and drugs.
Those bylaws could include punishing “those who continue to be involved in the sale of drugs” by revoking housing, ending employment, and making them ineligible for social insurance.
As a last resort, banishment is being discussed. Henderson pointed out that Montreal Lake has done that in the past, with those banished heading to the trap line with Elders.
However, those options will only come into play after Montreal Lake offers help to those people.
“We’re not trying to drive everybody out and we know that there’s underlying issues behind that. A lot of what we’re offering is if you are selling drugs or you’re selling alcohol, we’re willing to help you to deal with those addictions, and we’re providing services for them. But if people continue and not ask for those services and that help, then those bylaws will kick in,” Henderson said.
Other proposals by Band Council include drug tests for Chief and Council.
The community is looking into creating a community patrol as well.