Manitoba First Nation to conduct alcohol searches at airport in safety push

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Peggy

If you’re travelling to Manto Sipi Cree Nation in northern Manitoba, your luggage might get searched for alcohol at the airport.

Manto Sipi, a designated dry reserve, is now enforcing its ban against bringing in any alcohol into the community, and First Nation safety officers will begin searching bags at the Winnipeg airport.

There’s now a sign at the Perimeter Aviation terminal to remind passengers of the policy.

Garrison Settee, Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), said the new enforcement is an important step in keeping the community safe. Manto Sipi was granted the authority to enforce the ban in July from Manitoba’s justice minister, in response to a large number of drug and alcohol-related deaths in the community.

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“This is certainly a milestone in exercising our sovereignty and making decisions that benefit our people and our First Nations,” Settee said.

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“This is a very important moment for us, as we begin to address a very critical situation.”

In a statement Monday, MKO applauded the move and called it an important step in stemming the “epidemic of bootlegging and drug-dealing” that is affecting First Nations.

The Chief of Manto Sipi, Michael Yellowback, said the impetus for the new enforcement measures came from the death of a young mother in the community last year.

“For us, we do not want to lose another young life,” Yellowback said.

“This young woman left a one-year-old daughter. This was our primary motivation to get this done. We did tell Canada and Manitoba, ‘Enough’s enough’.”