COVID-19: The Long Point First Nation Council Declares a State of Emergency on its Territory and Appeals to the Governments of Quebec and Canada

WINNEWAY, QC, March 30, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Faced with the threat posed by the spread of COVID-19, the Long Point First Nation Council declares a local state of emergency on its territory and calls for immediate government intervention to protect the lives, health and integrity of its members residing  in Winneway.

Long Point First Nation Chief Steeve Mathias spoke directly to the governments today, in correspondence sent to the Premier of Quebec, François Legault and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. He calls on the government for public safety assistance to ensure security and maintenance of the public order on its territory, either by significantly increasing the Sûreté du Québec's workforce, in place on the territory but clearly insufficient, or by temporarily deploying RCMP officers, or even the Canadian Armed Forces.

This request is intended to ensure the safety of community members and to allow compliance with preventive containment measures taken under a Council regulation adopted on Sunday, declaring a local state of emergency on the territory of the community of Winneway for a period of 20 days beginning on March 29 at midnight.

"Long Point is being left to its own devices. This is unacceptable and intolerable. The governments must assume their responsibilities and come help us deal with this crisis that is affecting us all and forcing us to take exceptional measures to ensure the health and safety of our members", explains Steeve Mathias, Chief of the Long Point First Nation Council.

The main measures under the Long Point Council Decree aim primarily at prohibiting the coming and  going of community members outside the territory, with the exception of travel for major forces such as medical appointments and emergencies, food supplies, the movement of emergency vehicles or medical transport and finally, to ensure the supply of essential goods and services to the community.

In addition, non-members and visitors will no longer be allowed to enter the community. Exceptions apply to those who provide essential services. Roadside checkpoints will be in place at the entrance of the territory, in order to enforce the containment measures.

About Long Point

The Long Point First Nation is an Anicinabek community, situated in the heart of traditional unceded Anicinabe territory. Most of its members live in Winneway, on the south shore of the Winneway river.

SOURCE Long Point First Nation

Steeve Mathias, Chief, Long Point First Nation Council, [email protected], 819-629-7994