Pequis First Nation is the largest First Nation community in Manitoba located located 190 km North of Winnipeg. Peguis has a total population of 9,383 community members of Ojibway and Cree descent with 3,449 of these members living away from the community.
Peguis First Nation, also known as St. Peter’s Indian Band, was named after a Saulteaux Indian Chief of Ojibwe descent who led his people “west with the fur trade, settling on Netley Creek, a branch of the Red River south of Lake Winnipeg”. The Band membership originally established itself in the Red River Valley in and around the area now known as the City of Selkirk in the early 1800’s.
Community Support
Peguis caters to its economic sustainability through the Peguis Development Corporation which is responsible for promoting, planning, and developing Peguis First Nation with a sound economic development strategy. There are many services offered to members of Peguis that assists both individuals and the community. Health programs supports prevention, screening and treatment and case management initiatives that are community based and culturally appropriate. These services are located within the Peguis Health Centre and operate through departments such as the Peguis Home and Community Care, Long Term Care, Community Health and Community Wellness programs.
There are various services and programs offered through Peguis that provide economic, individual and community support which are sensitive to the needs of the community by being holistic and culturally relevant.
These include:
- Pequis Fire Hall
- RCMP Detachment
- Percy E Moore Hospital
- Peguis Health and Dental Centre
- School (Community Hall, Arena, Running Track, Baseball Diamonds)
- Peguis Al-Care Treatment Centre
- Various Businesses (Grocery, Restaurants, Convenience, Hardware, Salons, Bank, Postal and Garages)
- Peguis Mall
- Band Office (Finance, Training and Employment, Gaming, Housing, School Board, Land Entitlement)
- Elders Housing
- Senior Centre
- Peguis Development Corporation
- Matootoo Lake Medicine Lodge
Elder and Senior Care
Elders of Peguis are provided with excellent, quality care by respectful and committed staff employed at the Peguis Senior Centre. The care is delivered through a multi-disciplinary team approach that provides support to the needs of the Elders, such as spiritual, physical, emotional care. Community members are also actively involved in a many volunteer groups that help people who are ill or at end-of-life and this is a way for community to continue ongoing care for our Elders. There are organizations that provide Elders a way to stay connected to each other by offering events and activities. Spiritual care and Elder support is delivered by various churches for those who choose to attend, as well as through traditional healing centres such as Matootoo Lake Lodge which is a charitable organization that provides healing clinics, traditional ceremonies and harvesting of the medicines for staff and clients. Members of Peguis that have been drastically impacted by the legacy of residential schooling are provided with the highest point of care and cater to their needs by providing them with a program called the Residential School Support Services. There is also a community grief and bereavement support group.