Premier Rodney MacDonald says he is open to any ideas on how to help the Eskasoni First Nation community deal with a suicide crisis, but jurisdiction issues might get in the way.
The Cape Breton First Nation had three suicides in December and learned Tuesday of a 19-year-old hanging himself. A community centre has been converted into a makeshift crisis shelter.
“I have first-hand experience seeing situations like this as a teacher and have seen how difficult situations like this can be,” said MacDonald.
He said his government has been talking to the community about their needs and said the province may offer funding for counseling support.
“We are there to help in any way we can through our departments. But again there is federal jurisdiction as well,” he said.
