First Nation activists staged a sit-in in the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada offices in Toronto on Wednesday, April 13, in the wake of the suicide emergency in the Attawapiskat community. Protesters laid on the floor as fellow activists played a drum.

Activists said INAC representatives would not meet with them. Toronto police also came to the scene, but activists requested an aboriginal liaison. It was unclear if a liaison had arrived at the scene.

On a live stream from the protest, activists said their concerns are for their children, who are facing problems in the remote aboriginal community. They displayed a banner showing the requests made by the community’s children.

The Attawapiskat First Nation, which is located in Ontario, declared a state of emergency earlier this week after a rising number of suicide attempts, according to media reports. Reports said 11 people attempted suicide in a 24-hour period.

Federal and province officials are moving to assist Attawapiskat and other First Nation communities. The House of Commons held an emergency session Tuesday night to discuss how they can assist the communities. Credit: Twitter/Alex Hundert