Ryan Meili talked to reporters on Saturday, pledging to open a Mental Health Emergency Room in Prince Albert. Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff

By Jeff D'Andrea

New Mental Health assistance pledge from NDP

NDP pledge to open Mental Health Emergency Room in Prince Albert

Oct 17, 2020 | 5:27 PM

NDP leader Ryan Meili visited Prince Albert during an election campaign stop to promise opening a Mental Health Emergency Room in the city.

Meili said that his pledge of the new facility would help address the limited mental health resources in Prince Albert.

“The choice is so clear between an NDP government that will make the investment, or more cuts by [Premier] Scott Moe and the Sask Party—cuts that have hurt Prince Albert and have left people feeling less supported and less safe,” Meili said. “I’ve heard from families about how life is getting harder and it’s so concerning to hear about people getting left behind.”

Kara Thorpe is a mother of one of those families in Prince Albert. She has had to deal with long waiting times to access mental healthcare for her children. Thorpe said that now there isn’t a child psychiatrist in Prince Albert, that’s made getting mental care a lot more difficult.

“When your child [needs help], like mine who when was eight years old was trying to throw himself out of a moving vehicle, it’s not acceptable to be told that you can get an appointment in two weeks.”

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During Saturday’s campaign stop, Meili also acknowledged that Moe had earlier made a public appearance in Prince Albert on Saturday morning.

Meili challenged not what Moe did say during the Sask Party leader’s Saturday morning appearance, but on what Moe did not say.

“We understand that Mr. Moe was here today and once again had the opportunity to commit to a bridge for Prince Albert—this is a city that we know needs a second bridge. He had an opportunity to commit to a proper rebuild of the hospital and did neither, and once again taking Prince Albert for granted.

“We need a government that understands how important P.A. is for all of Saskatchewan, for the north, and will be willing to build that bridge and hospital with companies right from Saskatchewan.”

Meili added that mental health emergency rooms would also be built in Saskatoon, Regina, and Moose Jaw. The NDP is also planning to invest $5 million in a suicide prevention strategy, providing funding to hire mental health supports in classrooms, funding an opioid and crystal meth strategy, and increasing addiction support by $10 million.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW