NCN Chief and Council Condemn ISC, FNIHB, and Canadian Red Cross for Failure to Act Amid Wildfire Emergency

URGENT Press Release from NCN Chief and Council – for Immediate Distribution
July 7, 2025

NCN Chief and Council Condemn ISC, FNIHB, and Canadian Red Cross for Failure to Act Amid Wildfire Emergency

NISICHAWAYASIHK CREE NATION, MANITOBA — NCN Chief and Council are expressing outrage and heartbreak at the blatant lack of action, empathy, and humanity shown by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), and the Canadian Red Cross in response to the escalating wildfire crisis currently threatening the lives of thousands of citizens in NCN.

As of 1:30 p.m. on July 6, 2025, NCN declared a State of Emergency as thick black smoke and three active wildfires now surround the community. There is only one road in and out of NCN, and it is at serious risk of being closed due to fire conditions. Despite repeated pleas for urgent support, we have been met with delay, denial, and deflection.

“We are being told there are no hotel rooms. They say they are calling other provinces. They say their hands are tied. But where was this excuse-making when thousands of Ukrainian refugees were welcomed to Canada and provided with housing, food, health care and dignity? Why are our people—Indigenous peoples—being left to suffer and choke on thick black smoke while federal ISC and FNIHB officials and the Canadian Red Cross sit at their desks and say ‘not it’?”

— Chief Angela Levasseur

Our Most Vulnerable Are Being Left Behind

In our NCN Personal Care Home, we have:

24 residents, including
4 bed-bound,
5 using walkers, and
15 in wheelchairs.

Many are on oxygen, are diabetic, or have heart conditions. Yet, the Canadian Red Cross has refused to help, stating they have “no staff available.” More importantly, we could fill an ocean with the excuses being made to not evacuate our vulnerable Elders!

We also have over 300 Priority 1, 2, and 3 individuals who are medically vulnerable.

These include:

People living with COPD, asthma, and other serious respiratory conditions
Elders
Infants, including newborns
Individuals with cancer, mobility issues, and chronic disease

These people are being forced to breathe in thick smoke with no clear evacuation plan, no guarantee of appropriate accommodations, and no effort to secure the kind of care they need to survive this crisis.

And this number will easily double once you factor in escorts and family members!

Systemic Racism, Discrimination, and Negligence

It is unconscionable that in a G7 country like Canada, Indigenous lives are treated as expendable. The disparity is glaring- resources are always available for others, but not for us.

“This is a disgrace. This is racism. And we will not stand for it. Our people’s lives matter. We will not allow bureaucratic excuses to become body bags for our Elders, our babies, and our chronically ill. The clock is ticking and our people are choking while the so-called emergency response system fails to respond at all.”

— NCN Chief and Council

We are also calling attention to the situation in Leaf Rapids, where similar conditions exist, and where support is also dangerously lacking. An emergency evacuation was called at the last minute and Leaf Rapids residents have been evacuated to a soccer dorm. All human beings deserve better!

The repeated failures to act swiftly for northern First Nations are not only a dereliction of duty- they are evidence of structural discrimination and systemic racism embedded in Canada’s emergency response systems.

NCN DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION:

Immediate evacuation of all Priority 1, 2, and 3 individuals in NCN.
Safe, private accommodations—not congregate shelters or sports domes.
Deployment of emergency medical staff and equipment to support evacuation and care.
Respect for our nation’s autonomy- including the use of our own security, health, and evacuation personnel.
Federal partners and Canadian Red Criss to stop making excuses and start saving lives.

Our lives are not disposable. Our Elders matter. Our children matter. Our Nation matters.

For more information, contact:

Media Contacts:

Councillor Kim Linklater, EMO Portfolio Holder for NCN

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (204) 307-2107

Jessie Horodecki, Executive Director of the NCN Personal Care Home

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (204) 307-0192

Deputy Chief/Former Chief Marcel Moody