BATCHEWANA FIRST NATION OF OJIBWAYS RANKIN RESERVE 15D

GOULAIS BAY RESERVE 15A

OBADJIWAN RESERVE 15E

WHITEFISH ISLAND 15

              Batchewana First Nation Press Release

Chief Dean Sayers of Batchewana First Nation (BFN) is calling for an investigation into the failure of the local Coast Guard, Sault Search and Rescue and the OPP to respond to a BFN fisherman's pleas for help, who was stranded on Lake Superior during a winter storm on Mon., Nov. 24.

"BFN commercial fisherman Mike Neveau repeatedly called for help, and those calls largely went unanswered," stated the Chief. "The system that is set up to protect our fishermen failed us. One of our most experienced fishermen called for help numerous times, but those cries for help fell on deaf ears. No one from the Coast Guard, Sault Search and Rescue or the OPP even launched a boat to help search for our Elder. This is completely inappropriate and unacceptable to us."

Our fishermen depend on the Crown to respond to all emergency situations and the Crown has assumed that mandate! If they are not going to respond - don't commit to handle those situations.

In similar circumstances, the Sault Search and Rescue, the OPP and the Coast Guard would have mobilized within minutes. Why not in this instance? A terrible tragedy could have happened, had it not been for the efforts of Mr. Neveau's immediate family. Mike Neveau's family eventually launched their own search for their patriarch and located him at about 7:30 p.m. in the Red Rock area of Lake Superior.

Chief Sayers is formally requesting that the Crown call an investigation into the conduct of all related parties. "This issue cannot be ignored. We demand to know where the system failed and how it can be improved."