Murray Mandryk: The opioid crisis is when ministers elicit empathy

walterpalladNovember 26, 2022

This shouldn’t just be a sad drug overdose story. The death of Shane Turner has given us an opportunity to learn from him.

Mother Terry McIver (left) and daughter Ashley Turner went to the legislature on Tuesday to call for a coroner’s inquiry into Shane Turner’s drug overdose death. Photo by Troy Fries /Regina Leader Post

Everett Hindley, Minister for Mental Health and Addiction, is trying to be an empathetic politician at a time when it’s getting harder and harder to be a politician.

Some politicians don’t even bother. Others may have forgotten, or never really learned, that empathy is a big part of the job.

Empathy is lost in government after 15 years.

But the grueling 243-kilometer journey, twice in one day, gave Hindley the opportunity to explore the importance of empathy in politics.

As former Prime Minister Brad Wall’s constituency aide, he has documented driving thousands of kilometers every day between Regina and Swift Current, and has been the subject of countless debates not just about politics, but why they do what they do. included time.

Arguably, Wall’s favorite phrase, “Leave a better place than you found it,” came up again and again.

These are the lessons Hindley hopes are now taking advantage of as a minister who can make a difference in a region where families have suffered unimaginable tragedies.

One such family came to the Saskatchewan legislature on Tuesday, the family of Shane Turner, who died of a fentanyl overdose at a Regina-area hotel a year ago.

Ashley Turner described her brother as a funny, kind hearted person who reaches out to everyone, saying, “I miss my brother so much. Every cell of my body mourns his passing. I’m doing it,” he said.

“He was the glue of our family,” Ashley said. “He took a piece of us with him.”

Citing patient advocacy reports requested by family members, the grieving sisters demanded a referral to Regina Detox Center, where Shane was taken to Regina General Hospital after an overdose.

Despite having received treatment in the past at the facility, Shane Turner was told he was on a waiting list and did not meet standards. I was discharged with a number to call and a voucher for a taxi.

“My brother didn’t need social assistance,” Ashley said. “He needed ongoing health care.”

Perhaps the words of Shane’s mother, Terry McKeever, were even more poignant. I don’t want any more family members having to go through this. ”

The family is seeking a coroner’s inquest. This usually only happens if an overdose death occurs while in custody. It is not difficult to sympathize with such an infinitely reasonable request.

This shouldn’t just be a sad drug overdose story. The death of Shane Turner gave us an opportunity to learn.

“When people are asking for help, listen,” said Ashley Turner. She said, “I feel like my addiction is being removed (and) drug use doesn’t mean people lose their right to equal health care…

“My brother is gone, but I won’t put him in another stat in the system.”

Hindley promised to meet with the family and follow up with the Saskatchewan Department of Health. It’s just the beginning, but being truly empathetic should mean wanting to do more.

The Minister of Mental Health and Addiction opened fire during a spring meeting after members of the government failed to meet with the families of suicide victims. It was inexcusable rudeness.

It seems that a lesson has been learned since then… although perhaps not enough.

Asked Tuesday about the nonsense he hears about Canadian Federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poirivert’s opposition to safer drugs for addicts, Hindley said to a complicated question, “Easy. Saskatchewan is “destroying the stigma around addiction,” he said.

Hindley has to do more. Poirivert promotes indifferent and harmful nonsense that needs attention.

Politics should be more than announcing good news or telling what the base wants to hear.

You were chosen to help people, like the Turners, who didn’t want others to go through what they had endured.

It takes empathy — something Hindley learned long ago.

Mandryk is a political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

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