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
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.