Letters to the editor Dec. 9

Letters to the editor — Bridger, Leis

Why the West won’t get in

Western Canada doesn’t like the fact that it doesn’t have enough influence in Canada’s government.

We tend to blame Eastern Canada and especially Central Canada; specifically Quebec and Ontario.

When Lorne Calvert was the NDP premier of Saskatchewan prior to the 2006 federal election, he got Stephen Harper to promise to remove non-renewable resource revenue from the equalization formula and then opposition leader Brad Wall agreed with Calvert, but when Harper was elected prime minister of a minority government he hesitated to keep the promise. Then after the Sask. Party formed the provincial government in 2007, Wall stated that he had no interest in persuading Harper to keep his promise about non-renewable resource revenues. So Alberta and Saskatchewan didn’t help their own cause when they had a chance.

Going back to 1986 when Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg won the contract to provide maintenance of Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets, Brian Mulroney instead gave the contract to Canadair of Montreal.

Quebec has 78 seats in the federal government compared to just 48 between Alberta and Saskatchewan and Harper wanted to win seats in Quebec so he could form a majority government. This is also why Quebec has more influence in the federal government. It’s a matter of population.

The West’s influence will only increase as our population grows enough to justify more seats.

David Bridger

Saskatoon

Sask. youth need a suicide prevention strategy now

In the last several weeks, the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation has experienced what no community should, mourning the lives lost of their young people and fearing who might be next.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Canadian youth, with significantly higher rates among Indigenous people, particularly among Inuit and First Nations people living on reserve. In Saskatchewan, a First Nations girl is 29 times more likely to die by suicide than her non-Indigenous peers.

As a general pediatrician practicing in Saskatchewan, I am deeply concerned for the well-being of the children and youth in this province; after all, they are our future, and their health is an indicator of how we are doing as a society.

Unfortunately, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation is not alone in experiencing the pain of youth suicide recently. Something has to change. And soon. In response to this crisis, Premier Moe and Minister Reiter have appropriately dispatched mental health workers to help families and friends cope with their grief. However, more long term investments need to be made to address the root causes of mental health issues and suicide.

As the Saskatchewan board representative of the Canadian Paediatric Society, I would like to underline that a suicide prevention strategy that ensures effective, accessible and culturally appropriate mental health services is the only way forward. The CPS, and other organizations nationally and internationally, have recognized this type of strategy to be evidence-based and effective.

Karen Leis 

Saskatoon

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