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132-2022-62
By email
January 6, 2022

The Honourable Marco Mendicino

Minister of Public Safety
Public Safety Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A 1L1
marco.mendicino@parl.gc.ca

SUBJECT: Request for Federal Assistance to Support Bearskin Lake First Nation  

Dear Minister Mendicino:

As you are aware, an increasing number of First Nation communities in Ontario are
being significantly impacted by COVID-19 and in particular the Omicron strain. Over the
last couple of weeks, Ontario’s Provincial Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC) has
been coordinating all-partner calls to discuss various supports requested by Bearskin
Lake First Nation, Ginoogaming First Nation, Aroland First Nation, and Attawapiskat
First Nation. This work is ongoing and will continue to support affected First Nation
communities.

Bearskin Lake First Nation is requesting various supports to assist in dealing with a
COVID-19 outbreak in the community. The community’s population is 480 and there are
currently 197 cases of COVID-19, resulting in more than half of the community’s 110
homes to be in isolation.

Bearskin Lake First Nation has fewer than 20 staff members trying to assist hundreds of
community members who are unable to leave their homes to obtain necessities,
including firewood for heating, food, and medicine. The current level of support required
by the community exceeds the ability of these few staff to manage. Furthermore, the
capacity to support the community is further limited given the Chief and multiple council
members are also now in isolation due to close contacts or testing positive.

Even with the federal supports to date and the support of surrounding Indigenous
communities, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Windigo Tribal Council, Matawa Tribal
Council, and NGOs, the current situation is overwhelming the collective ability to
manage the outbreak and deliver critical services. As a result, Bearskin Lake First
Nation has requested federal assistance to help manage the outbreak and support
essential services in the community. 
…/2
The Honourable Marco Mendicino
Page 2

While not intended to be an exhaustive list, this additional federal support, through
military resources or otherwise, could include:

• Coordination and liaison with Chief and Council to continue providing critical

services to community residents;
• Conducting community wellness checks and help monitor for potential
physical threats to residences such as fire watch patrols;
• Logistical support to receive, organize and deliver critical supplies
to vulnerable community members, including elders and those in self-
isolation/quarantine; 
• General transportation duties including delivery and distribution of critical
community supplies including PPE, food, water, etc.;
• Conveying and distributing health/COVID-19 information;
• Personnel and equipment for cutting, splitting, and delivering wood for use in
wood burning stoves for heating; and
• Erecting of temporary isolation facilities as needed.

The isolation accommodation capabilities in the community are extremely limited and
require any resources deployed into the community needing to be self-sufficient,
including having their own applicable special equipment, food, and shelter while in the
community.

Additionally, it is acknowledged that if any supports are provided by the Canadian

Armed Forces (CAF) then CAF members will remain under military command at all
times; all tasks and community-specific requirements during deployment will be
coordinated between Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) and the community’s Chief
and/or Council, and CAF personnel will not be requested to provide security, administer
vaccines or to provide medical care.

Consistent with its coordination role during provincial emergencies and the emergency
service funding agreement with the federal government in support of the federal
responsibility to support First Nation communities on-reserve, the PEOC is facilitating
this request for federal assistance on behalf of Bearskin Lake First Nation.

Federal support for the above noted tasks is requested to begin immediately and
continue for fourteen (14) days from date of deployment, with an option to extend
by up to two weeks after an initial reassessment after Day 7, or until the outbreak is
manageable within local resources. The PEOC, in collaboration with Indigenous
Services Canada and health partners, will continually engage with the community to
maintain awareness of the situation, and to ascertain the status of the outbreak. 

As stated earlier, the PEOC is also aware of additional First Nation communities in
Ontario that are experiencing similar COVID-19 related emergencies who may also be
in future need of federal assistance for similar tasks. If and when the PEOC is contacted
to seek federal supports from other First Nation communities due to COVID-19
…/3
The Honourable Marco Mendicino
Page 3

outbreaks, we will collaborate with federal and health partners to ascertain the specifics
around their requests and may then facilitate subsequent RFAs on their behalf, if
deemed necessary.

We appreciate your consideration of this urgent request and your assistance to date.
Should you have any questions or require further information on this matter, please
have your staff contact the PEOC or Teepu Khawja, Assistant Deputy Minister and
Chief, Emergency Management Ontario, at Teepu.Khawja@ontario.ca.

Sincerely,

Sylvia Jones
Solicitor General