Solutions to Yukon's opioid crisis sought during sacred fire

A sacred fire in Whitehorse on Wednesday was about more than giving people the opportunity to grieve — it was also about finding solutions to the Yukon's ongoing opioid crisis.

The 12-hour ceremony on the shore of Long Lake was the first of three that are planned there. 

Doronn Fox, who has led many sacred fires in Yukon over the past years, has noticed people are asking for more fires to address the territory's substance-use emergency. But the one he led this week was different, he said.  

This time, he asked people from the community to share ideas for how to deal with the increasing number of opioid deaths.

"Anything that's happened in your life that you think would be valuable to what we're trying to figure out and create – could be 100 per cent anonymous – you leave it here," he said.

"We'll bring together the information for our next fire and the next one after that. And, you know, try to put something forward that's gonna help the community as a whole."

Lauren Manekin Beille asked Fox to hold Wednesday's sacred fire, and two others that are coming up, to bring together the broader Yukon community. She said her hope was to bring business owners and people not directly impacted by opioids into the discussion too.

There have been 12 substance-use related deaths in the territory so far this year, Yukon's coroner told CBC News in an email. Nine of them were related to opioids, the coroner said.

Jack Bogaard, one of the first people to arrive at the fire, said his daughter died from an overdose. He wants the community to come together quickly to prevent more deaths like his daughter's in the future.

"Any addiction…it causes a lot of family hurt, it causes a lot of pain. How do we stop that pain? You know, we're asking all these questions. Are we going to find answers today?" he asked.

There are two more opportunities for people to ask questions and share possible answers at a sacred fire, with events also planned at Fish Lake on June 21 and the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre on July 12.