Prince Albert Daily Herald
‘It gives me hope’: Sask. suicide prevention bill passes unanimously
Métis suicide prevention advocate Tristen Durocher said he s hoping for more cooperation with Indigenous communities and people across various health sectors
Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette holds The Saskatchewan Strategy for Suicide Prevention Act. Photo courtesy of Doyle Vermette
The Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly unanimously passed The Saskatchewan Strategy for Suicide Prevention Act after Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette introduced it for a third time on Friday.
“This to me is something that the people of our province that are struggling with mental health should be very proud that they have achieved,” Vermette said.
HALIFAX As parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick deal with COVID-19 outbreaks and tightened restrictions, many Maritimers say the past year has taken a toll on their mental health. Health professionals say we must continue to support each other as we navigate through the pandemic together. A new report by the HR company Morneau Shepel shows a decline in our wellbeing, with a negative mental health score among Canadians for 12th months in a row. I ve been feeling a roller coaster of emotions. There is good days and bad days. I m worried about how we re going to get through this phase of the pandemic,” says Tammy Dunlop-Caya, a resident of Hatchet Lake, N.S.
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A Saskatchewan First Nation leader says new funding for mental health services is an important step toward preventing suicides among Indigenous youth.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice-Chief David Pratt said he was “very pleased” with Monday’s federal budget, which included $597.6 million over the next three years for a tailored mental health strategy for Indigenous communities.
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Pratt said his hope now is that the province will also come to the table. The FSIN, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, signed a letter with provincial and federal representatives in September 2020, pledging to work together to lower the disproportionately high rates of suicide among First Nations youth.
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Posted: Apr 17, 2021 8:00 AM AT | Last Updated: April 17
One of the rocks painted for Lexi s Legacy, a campaign to raise awareness about mental health. (Submitted by Chris Daken)
Piper and Brennah Daken have started painting rocks and leaving them in public places to keep their sister s memory alive and the conversation going about mental health reform. It s nice to have the community involved and to keep the message of the importance of mental health going, said 20-year-old Piper. But it s also therapeutic for us because the rocks are kind of like bringing Lexi along with us on our family trips and leaving a piece of her there.