Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation Chief ‘not giving up’ on Labrador community mourning death of young woman

“Hope is the only way” is a mantra that keeps Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation Chief Eugene Hart going through this period of grief.

It’s been a difficult time since 29-year-old John Joseph Nuna was charged with second-degree murder in connection to his partner Beatrice Penashue’s death, said Hart. As the central Labrador community mourns, Hart insists he’ll walk with the people of the community every step of the way to enact change.

A meeting held on Friday looked toward solutions for a problem many say Sheshatshiu has with mental health, drugs and alcohol.

“The last thing I want to do is bury my own people,” Hart told CBC News. “As long as I’m there as a chief, I’m not giving up on them.”

In 2014 a referendum to formally ban alcohol in the community failed.

Community members previously barricaded entrances of Sheshatshiu in an attempt to curb the flow of illegal drugs.

The day after Penashue’s death, more than 100 people gathered behind a banner that said “Ban alcohol and drugs. Enough is Enough.”

Sheshatshiu hasn’t always been this way, Hart said, but drugs have changed the landscape.

“I don’t know if the drug dealers ever realized what they’re doing to families,” he said. “If we don’t report it, we won’t get them.”

Friday’s community meeting was closed to the media, but in a later interview Hart said several issues were raised, including lengthy response times from police.

“Sometimes [it takes] two days, if there’s domestic violence… or just regular and general calls,” said Hart.

He said people are scared and more enforcement is needed.

The meeting was also attended by MHA Lela Evans, who is the minister of health and Labrador affairs, as well as MHA Keith Russell and members of the RCMP.

It’s a gesture that struck Hart.

“This is the first I’ve ever seen the government come into Sheshatshiu and actually listen to us,” he said. 

RCMP Insp. Danny Williams, the officer in charge of the Labrador district, said the meeting brought important dialogue front and centre.

“We definitely see an opportunity to work with our friends down in Sheshatshiu, as well as the provincial government,” Williams told CBC News Tuesday.

“I think we’re all focused on finding solutions to the many complex issues that we do encounter here in Labrador.”

At the meeting, Evans said she heard stories of people needing immediate help from police only to get a response hours later, as well as a sense of a lack of trust in law enforcement.

“We could see how somebody could die… Everyone has to be [held] accountable,” she said.

Evans said the province is committed to liaising with the federal government to address Sheshatshiu residents’ immediate concerns.

While she said there are some issues the province could help with “right now,” she did not specify what plans are in place.

Williams said while he couldn’t speak to specific cases, officers in Sheshatshiu are working to serve residents the best they can. He also spoke of a need for a continued effort to engage with residents and further a level of comfort that could allow more people to come forward with issues.

Sheshatshiu was Newfoundland and Labrador’s fifth busiest RCMP detachment by call volume as of 2024, he said, and the types of calls that come often require additional work and investigation.

“We’re certainly not perfect. And we don’t proclaim to be. Our goal is to always provide the best service possible with the resources we do have,” Williams said.

“Taking the time to engage in the community in meaningful conversations, but also sitting down and getting to know people in an informal way… I think those are all important things that help build that relationship. And also make people comfortable for when it comes time for them to report something that might be very difficult.”

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