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Hunger protest gets results Woman wants governments' attention focused on community problems
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 24, 2013
DENINU K'UE/FORT RESOLUTION
A Fort Resolution woman launched a fast last week in an effort to get some action on a multitude of problems facing the community.
Sharon Lafferty launched a hunger protest in Fort Resolution to get governments' attention on community issues. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo |
For four days, from June 17 to 20, Sharon Lafferty said she consumed only tea, water and broth because she was disappointed with the outcome of a recent community meeting aimed to address growing concerns among community members.
"Currently, I'm on a hunger strike because we had a community meeting (on June 11) regarding drugs and alcohol and there was no concrete resolution or plan to help our community, and I felt that the community should be doing something," she said on June 18.
Lafferty said her protest was a way to get the community's attention.
Lafferty was protesting to petition for a tri-council meeting of the community's three governing bodies - the Hamlet of Fort Resolution, the Fort Resolution Metis Council and Deninu K'ue First Nation - and sent a letter to the three councils containing a long list of recommendations on how to improve life in Fort Resolution.
Her recommendations include more training programs for women, an improved home-care program for elders, more recreation, more programs for youth, and job sharing.
At about 8 p.m. on June 20, Lafferty broke her fast with a meal of moose meat, potatoes and beans after hearing Chief Louis Balsillie committed to hold a tri-council meeting in July, and to address all of the concerns she has raised.
On June 21, she told News/North she is happy with the results of her protest.
"The community is presently divided and we're not working together. This is a starting point," she said.
While her protest was ongoing, Lafferty was on the grounds of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, where she had set up a tent for breaks and rest.
Her hand-lettered sign proclaimed "SOS Ft. Res."
Lafferty said she was partly inspired by the hunger strike earlier this year by Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat First Nation in Ontario to bring attention to the poor housing conditions in her community. He hunger strike spearheaded Idle No More protests across the country.
Lafferty said her demand for a tri-council meeting was needed because the community is currently not working together, and having the governing bodies on the same page is a good place to start.
"I feel since they have the funding, they should be the ones that try to work on these recommendations, and it should be a collaborative effort," she said. "That way, we have a place to start working together. Right now, we're divided."
While the hunger strike was ongoing, Tausia Kaitu'u-lal, the senior administrative officer with the Hamlet of Fort Resolution, pointed out the June 11 public meeting was a tri-council meeting because it involved representatives of the hamlet, the Metis and the band.
However, she did say tri-council meetings are not held often, but they may be convened more often in the future.
"I see the beginnings of more meetings to come," she said.
Now that a new meeting is in the works, Lafferty is turning her attention to promoting possible solutions to bring her community together.
She is also suggesting community feasts or barbecues to welcome new teachers, nurses and RCMP members to Fort Resolution.
"There should be a friendship basis so that way, we're properly introduced these people that work for us," she said.
Lafferty also thinks the community needs an emergency search plan for missing people. Under her idea, homeowners would be responsible for searching their properties.
She is also seeking the return of Roman Catholic nuns to Fort Resolution, where they left about eight years ago.
"There's been so much tragedy in the community and there's no real healing," she said. "So I'm hoping they would come back to the community."
Lafferty said she is not going to allow the issues to be pushed under the rug again.
- with files from Laura Busch
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