Opioid crisis a time for empathy from ministers
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Everett Hindley is trying to be an empathetic politician in an age where it's harder and harder to be one.
Some politicians don't even bother to try. Others have either forgotten or maybe never really learned empathy is a big part of the job.
Empathy gets lost in a government after 15 years. Only seven of 48 sitting Saskatchewan Party MLAS know what those opposition benches feel like.
But thanks to a gruelling, 243-kilometre, twice-daily trip, Hindley likely has had opportunity to explore the importance of empathy in politics.
The thousands upon thousands of kilometres he logged driving each day between Regina and Swift Current as the constituency assistant to former premier Brad Wall — who would drive back and forth — included countless hours discussing not only politics, but also likely why they do this.
No doubt, Wall's favourite phrase “leave the place better than you found it,” came up more than once.
These are the lessons one hopes Hindley is now drawing upon as a cabinet minister who can make a difference in an area where families are struggling with unimaginable tragedy.
Such a family came to the Saskatchewan legislature Tuesday — the family of Shayne Turner who died of a fentanyl overdose in a Regina-area hotel a year ago.
“I miss my brother immensely and every cell of my body is mourning the loss of him,” said Ashley Turner, who described her brother as a funny, kind-hearted guy who would lend a hand to anyone.
“He was the glue of our family,” Ashley said. “He took a part of us with him.”
Citing a patient's advocate report requested by the family, the grieving sister said Shayne was taken to Regina General Hospital after an overdose and requested a referral to a Regina detox centre.
Notwithstanding having received past treatment at the facility, Shayne Turner was told there was a wait-list and he did not meet the criteria. Instead, he was discharged with two brochures on addictions recovery, a number to call social services and a cab voucher.
“My brother didn't need social assistance,” Ashley said. “He needed continued health care.”
Perhaps even more poignant were the words of Shayne's mother Terri Mckeever: “It has to stop. I don't want any more families to have to go through this.”
The family is asking for a coroner's inquest — something that normally only happens when the overdose death happens in custody. It shouldn't be hard to empathize with such an infinitely reasonable request.
This shouldn't become just another sad drug overdose story. Shayne Turner's death has gifted us with an opportunity to learn.
“When people are asking for help, listen,” Ashley Turner said. “It feels like addictions is being dismissed (and) the use of drugs does not mean that people forfeit their right to equal health care ...
“My brother is gone, but I will not let him be another statistic in the system.”
Hindley met with the family and vowed to follow up with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. It's a start, but to be truly empathetic should mean wanting to do something more.
The mental health and addictions minister drew fire during the spring sitting when no government members met with families of suicide victims. It was inexcusably discourteous.
It seems lessons have been learned since then ... although perhaps not well enough.
Asked Tuesday about the nonsense we're hearing from federal Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre opposing safer drugs for addicts, Hindley responded “there's no easy solution” to a complex question. Saskatchewan is trying to “end the stigma around addictions,” he said.
Hindley needs to do more. What Poilievre is promoting is uncaring and harmful nonsense that needs to be called out.
Politics has to be about more than good news announcements or telling your base what you think they want to hear.
You're elected to help people like the Turner family who simply don't want others to go through what they've endured.
It requires empathy — something Hindley learned long ago.