Its only school ripped away by arson, Eabametoong First Nation focuses on healing and keeping kids in class | CBC News LoadedIn Eabametoong First Nation, where its only school was razed by arson last month, leaders pushing to get a temporary school built by September face many infrastructure challenges. In the meantime, people in the remote community in northwestern Ontario are trying to cope with the loss. "I thought of the school as my friend," says a kindergarten teacher.
Ontario Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford has pledged the province's full support in helping the community in its rebuilding efforts. As well, federal Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu has said the government isReem Sheet, Hajdu's press secretary, said the minister will meet with Atlookan on Friday "to work on a short-term plan so that students have what they need to continue studying and on a long-term plan to build a new school.
"We need subsidized if we don't have a winter road to bring our equipment in for materials to build that school," Atlookan said.On Monday, more than a dozen Grade 9 students were flown to Thunder Bay to finish their semester at the Matawa Education and Care Centre. Eabametoong students usually leave the community in Grade 10 to finish high school, but leaders feared a disruption to their Grade 9 year would set them too far behind.
"Our whole lives have been turned upside-down," said Julie Pope-Désilets, another kindergarten teacher, who said she's eager to be reunited with her class.