The occupation of the Toronto office of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has helped focus attention on the plight of the remote community of Attawapiskat in northern Ontario, where officials in the Attawapiskat First Nation have declared a state of emergency in response to an epidemic of suicide attempts.
On Wednesday, Indigenous activists and their allies, including members of Black Lives Matter in Toronto, began an occupation at the INAC offices. Now in its second day, the #OccupyINAC action has inspired similar sit-ins at INAC offices in James Bay and Winnipeg. A solidarity rally is planned tonight outside the occupation at 25 St. Clair Ave E in Toronto, beginning at 6:30pm.
Ricochet has been present throughout the occupation, producing this exclusive series of four video reports over the past 24 hours. Stay tuned for more coverage.