The NDP is still reeling from Friday’s vote in the Legislature, in which the provincial government voted down a Bill from Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette to create a suicide prevention strategy in Saskatchewan.
Rural and Remote Health Minister Warren Kaeding said legislation was not needed to implement a strategy and that Vermette’s bill was a little outdated.
“Legislation, however, is not necessary to establish or implement a plan. Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate — we appreciate — the advocacy of the member from Cumberland. But I think we can all agree that there’s more work that needs to be done on this very important issue. We need to reduce the rate of suicide in this province,” Kaeding told the Legislature. This private member’s bill calls on the SHA [Saskatchewan Health Authority] to undertake work related to jurisdictional scans that the Ministry of Health has already undertaken.”
Last month, the province released its own five-pronged suicide prevention plan, which looks to partner with the Roots for Hope initiative working in the North to help reduce suicide.
Yet on Monday, NDP leader Ryan Meili questioned the government on why it voted against the Bill Friday.
“There’s no policy reason. There’s certainly no moral or ethical reason, which leaves us with politics,” Meili explained.
The provincial government said it will look to improve mental health, addictions services and supports while reducing factors of suicide and increase protections as part of its new suicide prevention plan.
Between 2005 and 2016, approximately 144 people in the province take their lives each year and suicide is the leading cause of death in the North.
Yet Premier Scott Moe defended the decision stating that much of what the NDP Bill is calling for, the government is undertaking.
“With respect to what this government is doing on not only the conversation of suicide but guiding our framework as we move forward, we have released the Pillars for Life, a framework which was part of what the bill did call for, was to put forward some guidelines and a framework on how we engage on this important discussion in the weeks, months, and years ahead. We have released that,” Moe explained.
(PHOTO: Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette)