UPDATE 1-Canada aboriginal community declares suicide crisis emergency

(Adds sourcing from interview with area politician in first
three paragraphs)
By Ethan Lou
TORONTO, April 10 (Reuters) - A Canadian aboriginal
community of 2,000 people declared a state of emergency on
Saturday after 11 of its members tried taking their own lives
this month and 28 tried to do so in March, according to a
document provided by a local politician.
The declaration was signed by Chief Bruce Shisheesh of the
remote northern community of the Attawapiskat First Nation in
Ontario. It was provided to Reuters Sunday night by the member
of parliament for the area, Charlie Angus, who said in an
interview, "This is a systemic crisis affecting the
communities."
"There's just not been a serious response from any level of
government until now," he said.
Canada's 1.4 million aboriginals, who make up about 4
percent of the country's population, have higher levels of
poverty and a lower life expectancy than other Canadians and are
more often victims of violent crime, addiction and
incarceration.
The Canadian Press reported the regional First Nations
government was sending a crisis response unit to the community
following the declaration on Saturday. The Health Canada federal
agency said in a statement it sent two mental health counselors
as part of that unit.
Shisheesh and the First Nation's band office could not be
immediately reached for comment.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter: "The
news from Attawapiskat is heartbreaking. We'll continue to work
to improve living conditions for all indigenous peoples."
Another Canadian aboriginal community in the western
province of Manitoba appealed for federal aid last month, citing
six suicides in two months and 140 suicide attempts in two
weeks.
The problems plaguing remote indigenous communities gained
prominence in January when a gunman killed four people in La
Loche, Saskatchewan.