In the past 15 years Saskatchewan has lost 2,300 people to suicide. This is the highest suicide rate of any Canadian province, 34% higher than the national average, and has increased 41% from 2014 to 2019. Within the province, suicide is the leading cause of death for individuals aged 10 through 49. FSIN reports indicate that suicide rates of young people in Northern Saskatchewan are 10 times higher amongst males age 20-29 and 30 times higher amongst girls age 10-19 than those in southern communities.

Saskatchewan is in the middle of a suicide crisis.

On June 19, 2020 the Saskatchewan Party unanimously voted down Private Members Bill 618 which sought to address and alleviate those horrific statistics with meaningful legislation.

On July 2nd, Tristen Durocher and Chris Merasty began a 630 km walk from La Ronge, SK to the Regina, SK to raise awareness of the crisis and call on the provincial government to take action. On July 31, the Walking With Our Angels march ended on the steps of the Saskatchewan Provincial Legislature.  With no response from the government, a teepee was erected on the lawn across from the Legislature, surrounded by pictures of people lost to suicide, and Tristen Durocher began a hunger strike.

Since then, the Walking With Our Angels camp has been harassed by police and park officials. During the Saskatchewan Day long weekend, staff of the Provincial Capitol Commission have been scrambling to file a court order to remove the demonstration which is in violation of their Constitutional and Treaty rights. Meanwhile, the camp has remained peaceful and respectful of precautions to reduce the spread of COVID through masks, hand sanitizer and keeping the numbers small. It is visited by those who are grieving lost loved ones to share their stories, to pray and to heal.

We are calling on the Saskatchewan Provincial Government to hold an emergency session to pass meaningful legislation to address this crisis.