Memorial held for Regina woman whose death sparked calls to action on homelessness
A memorial feast was held in Regina on Thursday for Marjorie McKay, a woman whose death sparked calls for action on homelessness in the city and the creation of a camp for the homeless named in her honour.
Numerous community leaders and the family of Marjorie McKay arrived for a feast in Pepsi Park on the one year anniversary of her death.
“It’s a great turnout. I like that. What my mother created here, you know, amongst her friends and so great to see,” said Howard McKay, Marjorie’s son.
Last October, Marjorie McKay died in Victoria Park while a public discussion about homelessness was being held outside a church across the street.
Her death prompted the creation of a community of tents for those in need of housing and also renewed discussion about long term solutions.
Shylo Stevenson, Camp Hope Organizer, said they created Camp Marjorie in her honour then renamed it to Camp Hope after her funeral.
“That’s what it evolved to and here we are a year later and still in a more dire state than we were last year unfortunately but we are striving in the right direction,” he said.
One year later, a petition drive is underway to convince city council to implement its five-year-old plan to end homelessness.
“Out of the folks that were left behind at Camp Hope, by spring of this year we had lost nearly 10 per cent of them and now we’re almost at a loss of one in five so you have loss of life which is very tragic,” said Alycia Johnson with Rally Around Homelessness.
City Council will vote in December on whether to commit the dollars needed to seriously tackle houselessness. It could lead to another chapter being written in the legacy of Marjorie McKay.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.