Cross memorial honours lives lost to COVID-19, demands government accountability
A memorial display created by a community member in Regina honours the lives lost to COVID-19 and demands accountability from the provincial government.
Clinton Ackerman installed 127 crosses on the northwest lawn of the Legislative Building to represent those who died of COVId-19 between July 11 and Oct. 1, 2021. A letter to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe was hung on a few of the crosses.
Ackerman explained in the letterthat his memorial serves two purposes - the first,to honour the lives lost.
“They were people with families, friends, and loved ones, whose loss will be felt for years and generations to come. They are not a number, nor are they ‘the unvaccinated’, they are missed, loved, and cherished,” the letter reads.
“The second purpose is to remind you, Scott Moe, of the cost of your ignorance and inability to lead our province in service of the people who live here. The loss represented here was preventable.”
The letter demands an apology from the premier and the replacement of Paul Merriman as minister of health.
In a statement to CTV News, the Government of Saskatchewan offered condolences to those who have lost someone to COVID-19 but did not acknowledge the display or the letter to the premier.
“This is why it is critical that all eligible Saskatchewan residents get vaccinated,” the province said in an email.
“Getting vaccinated is also about protecting those around you who may be vulnerable, such as people with underlying health conditions and children under 12 who are too young to be vaccinated.”
In Saskatchewan, there are 335 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including 85 in the ICU – breaking the record of 84 patients set Sunday.
Of the 335 patients, 254 – 76 per cent – were not fully vaccinated.
Premier Scott Moe confirmed Monday morning the province will send six ICU patients to Ontario and request staffing assistance from the federal government.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.