75-Minute Debate (28 April 2022)

From Hansard (28 April 2022)

 

Mental Health and Addictions in Saskatchewan

The Assembly was debating the following motion moved by Doyle Vermette (NDP - Cumberland):

That the Assembly recognizes the crisis of mental health and addictions in Saskatchewan and calls upon the government to take urgent action to address gaps in services leading to loss of life and damaging impacts on provincial health care, education, and justice systems as well as the economy as a whole.

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Mr. McLeod: — Mr. Deputy Speaker, with new funding in this year’s budget, our government has now invested over $92 million in targeted mental health and addictions initiatives since 2018 — $92 million, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My question is to the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre. Do you support these initiatives? And if you do, why have you and your colleagues repeatedly voted against them?

Ms. Conway: — Mr. Speaker, that member knows full well that this government did not support initiatives that had been demonstrated, including by their internal memos, to actually save money. So what we’re saying is more needs to be done. This government cannot continue to ignore evidence that shows that safe consumption sites saves money and saves lives. It is not a one-or-the-other approach. It is an all-of-the-above approach. This is a crisis, and people are dying of preventable deaths.

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