Balmy weather stings natives in Canada

TORONTO GLOBE AND MAIL
WINNIPEG, EDMONTON -- REMOTE NATIVE RESERVES ACROSS NORTHERN CANADA ARE ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER, COMMUNITY LEADERS SAY, BECAUSE OF UNSEASONABLY HIGH TEMPERATURES.
THE BALMY WINTER HAS MEANT THAT SEVERAL FLY-IN RESERVES HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PUT IN THE WINTER ROADS ACROSS LAKES ON WHICH THEY DEPEND TO STOCK UP ON FUELS, MATERIALS AND FOOD FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
IN NORTHERN MANITOBA, GARDEN HILL FIRST NATION AND FOUR OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE ISLAND LAKE REGION DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY LAST WEEK AND ARE CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.
"WE'RE SLOWLY RUNNING OUT OF SUPPLIES," CHIEF DAVID HARPER SAID. "WE'VE RUN OUT OF FUEL ALREADY. ... WE USE WOOD FUEL TO HEAT OUR HOUSES, BUT WITHOUT GASOLINE, WE CAN'T RUN OUR SNOWMOBILES TO COLLECT THE WOOD.
"THE SWAMPS ARE NOT FREEZING. THE RIVER AND THE CREEKS ARE OPEN. IT'S JUST A TOTALLY DIFFERENT YEAR."
1998 DISASTER
THE PEOPLE OF ISLAND LAKE LAST FACED SUCH A DISASTER IN 1998, WHEN THE WINTER ROAD WAS OPEN FOR ONLY A WEEK BEFORE A THAW FORCED AUTHORITIES TO CLOSE IT. THE PROVINCE AND OTTAWA THEN PAID $15-MILLION TO ALLEVIATE RISING COSTS.
THIS YEAR, THE ISLAND LAKE COMMUNITIES MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO EVEN INSTALL THE WINTER ROAD, A SNAKING TRACK ACROSS LAKES AND FROZEN MUSKEG.
HARPER SAYS IF THAT HAPPENS, THE COST OF DISASTER RELIEF COULD REACH $30-MILLION. HE IS URGING THE AUTHORITIES TO ACT IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING BRINGING IN SUPPLIES BY MILITARY AIRCRAFT.
"WE'RE LOOKING AT HERCULES," HE SAID. "THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING EXERCISES ALL OVER THE WORLD. NOW WE NEED THEM IN OUR OWN BACKYARD AND WE CAN'T GET THEM."
A GALLON JUG OF MILK IS SELLING ON THE GARDEN HILL RESERVE FOR A LITTLE OVER $16. THAT COULD SOON RISE TO $20 AND MORE.
WITH THE PRICE OF OTHER STAPLES ALSO EXPECTED TO CLIMB, LARGE FAMILIES, MANY OF THEM ALREADY POOR, COULD FACE HUGELY INFLATED GROCERY BILLS.
"WE NEED FUEL, FOOD AND CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES," HARPER SAID. "WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE WORST. PRICES ARE GOING TO BE ENORMOUS."
MOST YEARS, THE WINTER ROADS TO THE ISLAND LAKE COMMUNITIES OPEN JAN. 16 AND CLOSE IN MARCH. BUT THE ICE IS TOO THIN FOR PASSAGE TO BE SAFE. THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO IS THAT THE ROAD WILL OPEN JAN. 31. BUT EVEN IF THAT HAPPENS, THE AUTHORITIES ARE LIKELY TO RESTRICT TRUCKS TO HALF-LOADS, MEANING TWICE AS MANY TRUCKLOADS WOULD BE NEEDED TO BRING IN SUPPLIES.
THE ISLAND LAKE REGION ISN'T THE ONLY AREA CALLING FOR HELP.
"THE RESERVES OF THE INTERLAKE REGION ARE TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS ISSUE BUT THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE OTHER RESERVES IMPACTED [IN MANITOBA]," SAID MICHAEL HUTCHINSON OF THE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA CHIEFS.
IN NEIGHBORING SASKATCHEWAN, AT LEAST TWO MORE COMMUNITIES ARE RUNNING SHORT ON FUEL. WOLLASTON LAKE AND FOND-DU-LAC FIRST NATIONS SAY THEY ARE OUT OF GASOLINE, AND WOLLASTON LAKE SAYS IT IS RUNNING LOW ON PROPANE, USED TO HEAT SOME HOMES AND THE LOCAL SCHOOL.