Return of 2011 First Nations flood evacuees won’t ‘happen overnight:’ minister

WINNIPEG – The federal aboriginal affairs minister says about 2,000 evacuees forced from their homes since heavy flooding in Manitoba in 2011 won’t be able to return overnight.

Bernard Valcourt says Ottawa is working closely with the province to get people back, but at least one community has to start from scratch.

Related: Manitoba issues 2015 flood outlook

It has cost about $108 million to care for the evacuees who are living in hotels and rental accommodation.

Aboriginal leaders say some evacuees have committed suicide out of despair while others have been exposed to high-risk lifestyles in Winnipeg.

Grand Chief Derek Nepinak with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs calls the prolonged evacuation a tragedy.

He says governments have been dragging their feet instead of negotiating with all the affected First Nations collectively to get people back home.