2 people banned from Cowessess First Nation for dealing crystal meth

CowessessFirst Nation is thelatest Indigenous communityto say that they have bannedmembers for dealing drugs.

A letterfromthe office of Chief Cadmus Delormewas recently posted on Facebook. It states thattwo people involved in "crystal meth cases" have been banned for one year.

The First Nation may take more action as required.

"If chief and council have enough evidence on sellers, traffickers, supply chain promoters, they will be evicted and banned from the home reserve for a minimum of one year, determined by resolution," the letter says.

The letter goes on to say that chief and council aredoing what's best for their community.

"To the ones who are doing our community harm, consider this a warning."

The letter also says two traffickers and "seven busy homes" are being assessed, without elaborating.

CBC reached out to Delorme, who said in a statement that hewill speak about these issues at a later time. He said his community is healing and wants more input from the citizens of his nation before making a more public statement.

Delorme did not want to elaborate on the incident concerningthe two individuals that were banned.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is not the first time that this type of banishment of has happened.

Beardy's and OkemasisFirst Nation, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nationand Muskoday First Nation are some of the Saskatchewan First Nations that have previously banished drug dealers from their communities. This practice has also been used in Manitoba and Alberta First Nations.

In 2016, FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron toldCBChe supported banishing drug dealers from First Nation communities in Saskatchewan.

"If it means not losing any more youth to alcohol and drugs, you bet I do."