Minister Everett Hindley stands with Sucker River Coun. Devin Bernatchez. (Twitter/Everett Hindley)

By Derek Cornet

provincial government

Minister tours several northern communities with a focus on mental health

Jan 12, 2022 | 12:50 PM

Everett Hindley, the minister for Mental Health, Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health, was in northern Saskatchewan earlier this week visiting several communities.

Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Coun. Devin Bernatchez explained he was appreciative of Hindley’s visit to Sucker River on Monday, noting he was able to provide a tour of the community, as well as have a conversation about mental health and the issues local residents are facing.

Bernatchez travelled to Regina in December where he spent time at the Legislative Building and asked for help addressing a suicide and addictions crisis in Sucker River and other LLRIB communities.

“We talked with him about how things are, including how this pandemic has created a crisis when it comes to addictions, when it comes to young people and adults in general struggling with mental health,” Bernatchez said. “At the end of the day as the community gets through this pandemic, we are going to have to do some different initiatives when it comes to mental health. We talked about how we have to invest more in mental health and we have to invest more with youth suicides and take some of the recommendations he has on his table.”

Bernatchez, who was joined during Hindley’s visit by Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette, mentioned they also talked about the need for more training when it comes to suicide prevention, as well as engaging youth with professionals and mental health therapists.

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Hindley was also given a tour of the band’s wellness, treatment and recovery centre being built near La Ronge. Bernatchez said it was important for the minister to see the progress being made, along with being made aware of the work that needs to be done.

Chief Tammy Cook-Searson speaks with Minister Everett Hindley during the wellness centre tour. (Twitter/Everett Hindley)

“We see the issues 10 times fold than what they see down south and we don’t always have the capacity up here,” he said. “We don’t always have the resources. He was able to see that and we expressed that to him.”

Reflecting on his visit, Hindley stated like many communities in Saskatchewan, Sucker River has had numerous challenges as a result of COVID-19 and the impact that’s had on people’s mental health and their mental well being. In many ways, he said the pandemic has exasperated some of the issues that were there before the pandemic began.

“I appreciated having the chance to meet with Devin and spend some time in his community,” Hindley said. “We’ve made some significant advancements across the province, but there is more work to do and that includes in the north.”

On Monday, Hindley also spent time in Buffalo Narrows meeting with Saskatchewan Health Authority staff, as well as Pinehouse in regards to Muskwa Lake Wellness Camp. In December 2021, the province committed a $337,000 grant to improve the camp.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno