Chief tells Indians to take responsibility

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A Saskatchewan Indian chief says Canadian Indians must stop pointing fingers at the government and take control of their own lives and societies.

Speaking Wednesday to the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations' legislative assembly in Saskatoon, Chief Marie-Anne DayWalker-Pelletier pointed out recent tragedies were threatening Canadian Indian society and culture, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reported Thursday.

"Our kids are hurting because their own families fail to look after them. Why is that?" DayWalker-Pelletier said. "It's time we started to look at ourselves. We can't continue to blame the Indian Act or the residential schools or anyone else.

"We have to take responsibility and take measures to heal from within."

She told the 200 delegates in the past year her Okanese reservation has experienced four killings and three suicides, the StarPhoenix said.

On Jan. 29, two toddlers on the Yellow Quill reservation froze to death walking outside with their father, who was reportedly intoxicated, the report said.