Native Peoples in Alberta: Manner of Death and Alcohol use. A Presentation for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples

An inquiry was held in 1989 after several violent deaths on the Blood Indian reservation. The role that alcohol played in these deaths was also examined. Results of the study showed that the suicide rate was 2.5 times higher among Natives than non-Natives. The study also confirmed the finding that the majority of violent deaths among Natives involve heavy alcohol consumption. It is concluded that reducing alcohol consumption is key to a reduction in preventable deaths among Native Canadians.