Cards line the steps on Manitoba Legislature honoring those who died to overdoses

Families pay tribute to lost loved ones at the Manitoba Legislature on International Overdose Awareness Day. Alex Karpa reports.

By Alex Karpa

407 cards sit on the steps of the Manitoba legislature representing the number of Manitobans who died of overdoses in 2021. Their loved ones are calling for more support, as toxic drugs continue to devastate families across the country.

August 31st marks International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose deaths.

Sherry McCaskill lost her son Michael to an overdose two years ago. She says this day means a lot to her.

“People have to stand together. Enough is enough. We have to stop this; we have to stop this now,” Said McCaskill.

“We grew up together. I was 20-years-old when I had Michael. I was supposed to die before him. He died by himself, all alone, in a back lane.”

McCaskill was one of the dozens of people placing photos of their loved ones on the steps of the Legislature. Janis Gillam lost both her daughter and stepson to overdose in a span of five months in 2020.

“Toxic drug supply, drug-related harm, it has to stop.”

Gillam got emotional looking at the variety of cards that were placed on the steps.

“There’s birthday cards, Christmas cards, wedding cards, birth of your first child cards; these cards represent our loved ones who are not going to be giving us those cards and we are not able to buy those for our loved ones any longer,” added Gillam.

In 2019, there were 199 fatal overdoses in Manitoba, that number jumped to 372 in 2020. And the number continues to increase as 2021 saw 407 total deaths. Shohan Illsley, Executive Director at Manitoba Harm Reduction Network says Canada is in the midst of an overdose crisis.

“Even if our numbers did start to go down, we’re not going to stop talking until our numbers are what we would consider, not acceptable, but a reasonable risk for folks to take, but until then, we are not going to stop,” said Illsley.

Illsley says Manitoba needs to implement safe services that will save lives.

“We need safe consumption services in this province, we need safe supply of substances, so our relatives aren’t using the toxic supply, just like we have a safe supply of alcohol, or safer. We need access to drug testing and we need a more robust naloxone distribution program.”

McCaskill hopes no other families have to go through what she is going through. She is urging the province to start making immediate changes.

“I failed him, and our government failed him. Spend some money and help these children, before we have none left.”

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