With the weight of historical baggage, it is no wonder that it is such a dangerous, polarising issue, although still startling to hear it defined in terms of “colonialism” and “the settler community,” as Meghan Young, a passionate First Nation advocate and social worker, does. “Change needs to come from the First Nations in nation-to-nation discussions,” she adds, questioning the appropriateness of making decisions for independent nations.

Much has to do with resources and personnel on the ground, and the shocking disparity between what is available in the territories of northern Canada as opposed to the federally-funded First Nations in the northern regions of the provinces. All First Nation communities shouldn’t be lumped together. Some work well and prosper, but many others suffer from third world conditions and a very high cost of living which contribute to these intractable problems. Wright illustrated this by sending a picture of a small  watermelon to her friends and family down south for which she paid $47 (£25).

In northern Ontario, 175 communities aren’t connected to the electrical grid. “Many of these along the James Bay coast and in the north were forcibly relocated so they could be ‘better serviced’ by the barges,” says Young. “They were placed there by the federal government of the time, and they are on a flood plain, which is the reason they experience extreme flooding every spring, and which is why historically they did not live in these locations.” Thousands of well-intentioned people across Canada are acutely aware of these issues and have spent many hours thinking about how to make the situation better, but solutions are proving elusive. There are no easy answers to complex and nuanced problems, with questions about what is the end point and what is success?

Being politically correct might not necessarily be the wrong thing, allowing these communities have a right to self-determination. “We need to support this right, to ensure that generation after generation no longer needs to live in these conditions,” says Hervieux. “It is only through First Nation-led initiatives that First Nation people will ever have the chance to heal. It is surprising to see the attitude of imperialism that continues to be imposed on the First Nation people.”

One solution considered by Wright and some friends would be to invest in greenhouses which would also provide employment and provide cheap and nutritious food. Having chickens for eggs and meat, and goats and sheep would add protein to the diet when they can’t hunt for moose or fish.

The people who Wright works with are caring, loving and concerned about their community. “They love and want the best for their children and want to work out a productive and sustainable answer to staying put,” she says.

In the wake of the April events, Susan Bardy, a member of the Tyendinaga Mohawks of Bay of Quinte Territory, Ontario, wrote an opinion piece for the Globe and Mail, one of Canada’s leading papers. She summed up the issues as seen from the First Nation perspective and the reasons First Nations don’t want to “catch up with modernity”, as Chretien said. These go beyond, but include, a connection to the land and culture, to traditions and places, to homes and people they love. To Bardy, moving south means leaving friends, family and a tranquil rural environment, where her mind is at ease, for the chaos of an unsettling urban landscape. Leaving isn’t the answer, she says. “We need to better our situation — politically, financially, emotionally, mentally. We need to feel supported by our fellow Canadians.”