Canoeing to raise funds for prescription drug abuse

Cat Lake Chief Matthew Keewaykapow returned to where he feels most comfortable during an early June canoe trip to raise awareness and funds for a community prescription drug abuse treatment program.
“I felt like I was going home,” Keewaykapow said. “It felt like home over there in the bush.”
Keewaykapow completed the 100-kilometre canoe trip over four days, from 7 a.m. on June 1 to 10:30 p.m. on June 4, with his partner and six-year-old son. They travelled to where
Keewaykapow was born at his family’s old commercial fishing camp on Whitestone Lake.
“It had a rather calming effect on us,” Keewaykapow said. “It was definitely a good trip; it was rewarding.”
All the funds raised by Keewaykapow will be used to support the children, youth, Elders and community members affected by prescription drug abuse.
“As we all face many challenges and obstacles in life, we have to remember who we are as First Nations and our traditions,” Keewaykapow said. “Part of this initiative is to raise awareness of the situation that many First Nation communities, families and individuals are confronting in prescription drug abuse. By travelling with my partner and son on this journey, I want to share hope with my fellow community members. Cat Lake has a future beyond the drug abuse.”
Cat Lake declared a state of emergency on Jan. 23 due to prescription drug abuse and has since started land-based treatment programs using traditional healing models supported by community Elders.
“We sent out a group about a week ago,” Keewaykapow said. “They are doing pretty good there, about 40 miles west of (the community). They’re out there for three weeks.”
Keewaykapow believes the land-based program will provide participants with more traditional knowledge.
“Some of them do not know how to prepare fish or to hunt,” Keewaykapow said, adding that log cabin construction is also on the agenda, with Elders providing instructions.
Donations may be made to the community through a pledge form on the Windigo First Nations Council website: www.windigo.on.ca.
Keewaykapow’s son “just loved” the canoe trip.
“He didn’t want to come back too early,” Keewaykapow said. “He wanted to stay out there; he just liked the land and all the animals. We saw moose, we saw geese.”
Keewaykapow’s son also did plenty of fishing for walleye while his parents were paddling.
“He caught fish off the side of the canoe,” Keewaykapow said. “It was really a good meal. He was really proud of himself. He hasn’t had that much opportunity to fish like that. I haven’t had time to take him out on the water as much as I did with the other two (children).”
Keewaykapow said water levels were higher than normal along the canoe route to Whitestone Lake, which made paddling more difficult when going against the current.
“I was just exhausted when I made camp every night,” Keewaykapow said, noting he and his partner paddled about 12-13 hours a day. “We just stopped paddling when it got too dark and we couldn’t see.”
Since returning to the community, Keewaykapow said a number of youth have asked for an opportunity to go on a canoe trip as well.
“I would go,” Keewaykapow said.