Hajdu says feds in talks with Bearskin Lake First Nation about military help

OTTAWA —
Canada’s Indigenous Services minister told Todd van der Heyden on CTV’s Power Play Friday that the federal government is in talks with Ontario’s Bearskin Lake First Nation about the type of help the community needs to overcome its COVID-19 crisis.

Hajdu said the federal government spent Friday working with Bearskin Lake First Nation to understand what kind of professionals are needed on the ground.

“We should have news very shortly,” she said.

She also said the federal government received a formal request from Ontario Thursday night.

“We can’t send the military until there is a formal request,” she told CTV’s Power Play.

Bearskin Lake First Nation leaders say over half of the community is in quarantine.

Patty Hajdu talks about the military request in the video at the top of this article.