To combat drug crisis, remote First Nation enacts trespassing bylaw

A remote First Nation has put a trespass bylaw in place to combat the drug issues in the community.

Moose Cree First Nation Chief Peter Wesley released a statement on the efforts to address the drug crisis in Moose Factory on Sept. 26. The community is located on Moose Factory Island across the Moose River from Moosonee.

The bylaw allows chief, council and bylaw officers to declare anyone who is not a Moose Cree member a trespasser on reserve land if they are a threat to the health and safety of the First Nation’s members.

It also allows for checkpoints where officers can check ID and deny access to the reserve if a person has no legitimate reason to be there.

“We know the trespass bylaw alone will not solve the drugs problem, but it is one of the ways we will be addressing this serious issue,” said Chief Peter Wesley in a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday. “It has been too easy for outsiders to bring drugs into our community, and we intend to start changing that.”

There have been a couple of large drug seizures in the Moose Factory area recently.

In August, OPP seized an estimated $60,000 of drugs during a Moosonee traffic stop, with three people being charged in that incident.

A serious weapons incident on Moose Factory Island earlier this month led to the seizure of a suspected $45,000 of drugs. The investigation also led to the lockdowns of two schools. Two people, including a youth, were charged in that investigation.

Around the time of the second incident, Moose Cree chief and council hosted a community meeting to talk about strategies to address the drug problem in Moose Factory.

Under the bylaw that's now in place, NAPS can remove a trespasser from the reserve and press charges.

Trespassers will be ordered to leave Moose Cree First Nation land immediately and may be identified by name or picture to the community to help enforce the order.

Anyone caught on Moose Cree First Nation land after receiving a trespass order could face a $1,000 fine, 30 days in jail, or both.

The bylaw will not affect the movement or rights of any Moose Cree First Nation members.

“We will continue to keep the drugs crisis as a high priority, and together, we will continue to develop plans and strategies that will make a difference as we work towards our shared goal of keeping our people safe and healthy,” said Wesley in the online statement.

Wesley asks community members to report any suspicious individuals in the area by calling the local call centre at 1-888-310-1122 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.