Thunder Bay and Geraldton welcome NAN residents forced from their homes
Community members from Fort Albany and Kashechewan are now living in temporary shelters in Thunder Bay and Geraldton due to spring flooding in their communities. See the news coverage below ...
NAN Press Release - April 26
NAN commends City of Thunder Bay and Red Cross for emergency preparedness
THUNDER BAY, ON, April 26 /CNW/ - Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy highly commends the efficiency and effectiveness of combined efforts of the City of Thunder Bay, Police, Fire and Rescue, Superior North EMS, Emergency Management Ontario, and Canadian Red Cross in preparing for approximately 300 evacuees from Fort Albany First Nation - the second NAN community evacuated in the past five days due to severe flooding.
"I commend the City of Thunder Bay's initiative and preparatory work of the Red Cross, emergency personnel, and volunteers in coordinating two working shelters well before the majority of residents from Fort Albany arrived in Thunder Bay yesterday afternoon," said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy who represents the 49 First Nation communities part of James Bay Treaty 9 territory, including Fort Albany. "It's great to see the community of Thunder Bay come together to assist our people and we look forward to working along side them at the two sites."
Evacuees from the First Nation community neighbouring Kashechewan First Nation on the coast of James Bay arrived in Thunder Bay late Tuesday afternoon after concern of flooding and ice movement in and around the community with an approximate total population of 700.
"I'd like to thank the city Thunder Bay and volunteers for their assistance and am hopeful the current situation is short-term and expect community members will be able to return home soon," said Fort Albany Chief Mike Metatawabin.
The evacuation is not expected to last more than a week.
The Canadian Red Cross is accepting volunteers through their Human Resources department at the local office, however will not accept clothing or food donations.
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/For further information: Jenna Young, Director of Communications, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, (807) 625-4952, (807) 628-3953 (cellular)/
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from http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/04/25/fort-albany060425.html
Ontario flies people out of a second reserve, chief says no need
Tue, 25 Apr 2006 - CBC News
Some people from a second Cree reserve in Ontario's James Bay lowlands are being flown south to avoid possible flooding, although the band chief says there's no clear danger.
The Fort Albany First Nation faces Kashechewan – the scene of epic water problems and repeated evacuations – across the broad delta of the Albany River.
Fort Albany declared a state of emergency on Sunday amid fear that the spring ice breakup would release a deluge, but the alert was put on hold after a surveillance flight on Monday.
Chief Mike Metatawabin told CBC News he did not request an evacuation but people living in one of three settlements on the reserve, Sinclair Island, called a provincial agency and said they wanted to leave.
He said he expected about 130 to make the trip to Thunder Bay.
The other Fort Albany settlements are on the mainland and Anderson Island. The combined population is about 900.
An Emergency Management Ontario official said the agency was acting on a request from a band representative and was set to provide flights for as many as 330 people.
Meanwhile, people from Kashechewan continued to be airlifted out to join others in Cochrane and elsewhere.