Sask. minister to travel to northern community Sucker River amid suicide crisis
An official from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band is sounding the alarm about increasing suicides in Saskatchewan’s northern communities.
Devin Bernatchez believes the pandemic is causing more depression, addiction and suicides. Bernatchez invited the Minister of Rural and Remote Health Everett Hindley to come to northern Saskatchewan to assist.
“People have lost jobs, mom and dad have lost jobs. Kids were told to get out of school, kids were told to learn online, kids were told you couldn’t play sports anymore. So how does that affect depression?” Bernatchez, who represents Sucker River, said. “It increases it and so you know we’ve seen this pandemic increase suicide, you know that whole mentality and the depressed state, in the North more so.”
Bernatchez wants collaboration with the government on suicide prevention programs. He had a moment on Monday to express the need to HIndle, who said he had heard of the issue “anecdotally.”
“I thank the individual, Devin from Sucker River who came down to visit us today to talk about the story in his community,” Hindley said.
Tristan Durocher’s suicide awareness camp last year led to the passage of a Suicide Prevention Strategy but northern MLA Doyle Vermette says he hasn’t seen much action since.
“No action. That’s what I’m saying, no action so we’re watching that and it needs to be a partnership and Devin talks about this,” Vermette, NDP MLA said. “He’s willing to work, he’s here. He wants to work with the federal government, the provincial government.”
Bernatchez invited the Hindley to come to Northern Saskatchewan.
“Come onto our reserve, come into our communities. Don’t be scared to come into the rez. You know we invite you. Come and see it for yourself you know, and let’s see how we can help people out,” Bernatchez said.
The government has accepted the invitation. Hindley will be travelling to Sucker River in the next few months.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.