Ross River Dena Council in Yukon 'struggling to cope,' declares state of emergency

The Ross River Dena Council in the Yukon has declared a state of emergency within the First Nation's territory. The chief and council passed a resolution on Friday.

The First Nation says in a news release three separate issues are currently putting people at risk and prompted the emergency declaration: the recent disappearance of one of its members, the trafficking of toxic drugs and alcohol in Ross River, and wildlife wandering around the community. 

"These are serious and life-threatening issues," Dylan Loblaw, chief of the Ross River Dena Council, said in the release. 

"Ross River Dena Council desperately needs help from the Government of Yukon. The search for Ramona Peter is imperative. We will not stop looking for her. We will not give up on her."

Police are continuing to search for Peter, the 40-year-old woman reported missing in the community — located 400 kilometres north of Whitehorse — on April 21. 

RCMP Staff Sgt. Kent Langley told CBC News on Friday there's still no indication that Peter left the community. He says police are still relying on information from the public to help with the search.

Langley says RCMP will expand their search along the Pelly River next week, which is now free of ice. 

"We've been looking at the river right from the start," Langley said. 

"We haven't been able to get boats on the water, because of the ice conditions. But there's been a bit of a breakup now so that we will be able to get some boats out." 

But Loblaw says more needs to be done. 

The First Nation is calling on Yukon Premier Ran Pillai directly in its emergency declaration, to provide "immediate assistance as we continue to search for our beloved sister, including human and financial resources."

A Yukon government spokesperson said in an emailed statement to CBC News that the premier reached out to Loblaw on Friday afternoon to offer his support and was waiting for a response.

The statement includes a list of resources the government put in place to help with the search for Peter, including the use of RCMP aircraft and watercraft to assist with air, ground, and water-based searches, and $1,000 at the local gas station to provide gas for community-based searchers. 

Drugs, bootlegging and wildlife

The emergency declaration also states that the community is "besieged" by drug dealers and bootleggers. 

Ross River has no local bar or liquor store. The nearest place to buy alcohol is in the town of Faro, Yukon, about an hour's drive away.

Loblaw says he wants to send a clear message to individuals that are involved in the traffic of toxic drugs and alcohol on the First Nation's territory. 

"Ross River is not open for business, " he said. "Stay out."

Meanwhile, a black bear has also been wandering through the community for the last several weeks. The First Nation says a trap was set earlier in May by a Yukon conservation officer, but the bear has not been captured.

Loblaw says the animal is an obvious threat to the community's safety and the territorial government has an obligation to respond.

He said his community is "struggling to cope" with the combined impact of all three issues.  

"We are a very small First Nation with limited resources," Loblaw said in the release. "We beseech the Yukon and federal governments to help us. We can not do this alone."