A new drug tolerance policy has been set for the Tl’Esqox First Nations.
The Band office announced on May 1 that its community is at severe risk during the toxic drug crisis, and will not tolerate “the presence of those” putting the community at risk.
The First Nations has issued a new policy that will see anyone found selling and distributing drugs be told to leave the community.
The First Nations also add that anyone involved with drug trafficking will no longer be permitted to reside within the Tl’Esqox community.
“We got to make the community safe, that’s the biggest reason,” says Tl’Esqox Chief Francis Laceese. “It’s an epidemic, not just for our community, but all communities. We’re loosing too many, especially a lot young people.”
Chief Laceese says that anyone found distributing toxic drugs will first be given a warning. If they continue they will be asked to leave, and possibly “one way or another” be escorted out of the community.
RCMP will be involved, but Chief Laceese says the First Nations are looking into getting their own Tribal Police, and working with First Nations legal authorities on how to establish a strong jurisdiction to protect the community.
“Those are the steps we have to take to keep everyone safe. We have to have full jurisdiction, we have our laws and we have to stand those up so that things get done in a good way for us.”
The Tl’Esqox’s new stance and policy was put into effect on May 1.
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