The James Smith Cree Nation (JSCN) has thanked everyone who helped during the mass stabbing rampage last September..The community thanked everyone Monday who helped after the tragic event on Sept. 4, 2022, when Myles Sanderson killed 11 people and injured 17 more, including killing his brother..The Digging Bear Drum Group played the opening music for the flag-raising ceremony. After that, Lawrence Joseph and Sheldon Wuttunee began the event..Local and provincial Chiefs from the province spoke first. Federal, provincial, and municipal government politicians also addressed the community, including Todd Goudy MLA (Melfort) and Melfort Mayor Glenn George..To end the day, JSCN Chief Wally Burns, Peter Chapman, Chief Robert Head, and Chakastaypasin Chief Calvin Sanderson thanked everyone for the help during the mass stabbing rampage, including the RCMP, first responders, STARS, volunteers, Rio Tinto, businesses, banks, local and First Nations governments..“It’s a privilege to have each and every one of you here today to express our opinions, and also the resilience that we have as First Nations people, especially our community of James Smith,” said Burns. .“I’m also very thankful to FSIN for coming up and asking us to host this gathering.”.“Thanks to the knowledge keepers, our healers, elders and also our membership. Our youth that are here are the ones that really inspire me for hope,” said Burns. .“Hope for myself has changed, and if we grab it right now, I think we have the resilience with our young people.”.“We have a lot of work to do in regards to healing and moving forward in a good way and in a healthy way,” said Head..“The ceremonies and these gatherings that we have here are going to help those families to reach out and get some of that support they need in order to start living healthy again and start feeling the love and the joy of this world because, for the last year, it’s been very hard for everyone to smile because of what happened.”.The health event is called 'Staying Strong Together.' It has activities for children 14 to 18 years old, such as hunting for elk and bison, fishing, getting meat ready, making drums, doing bead and quill crafts, learning to make ribbon skirts, cooking outside, first aid in the wild, and more.
