The walk began at the band office, proceed along La Ronge Avenue and ended at the downtown urban reserve. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

mental health

‘You are not alone’: Suicide awareness walk spreads message of hope in La Ronge

Sep 15, 2023 | 3:15 PM

A message of hope was delivered during a smudge walk for suicide awareness in La Ronge on Friday.

“I know a lot of people tend to feel as if they are alone in their community. That nobody knows what they are going through, or nobody’s been through what they are going through and sometimes they feel as if they are a burden on their family and their friends,” said Men of the North founder Christopher Merasty to a crowd of attendees at the downtown urban reserve.

“Sometimes they take the inevitable path that you cannot return from and it’s one of those things that we need to continue to share, continue to relay this message, that you are not alone out here. That we’re in this thing together, even though it doesn’t feel like it some days and even though it doesn’t feel like it at all sometimes.”

The walk, which began at the Lac La Ronge Indian Band office and ended downtown, was sponsored by Men of the North and Roots of Hope. It included about 80 people, mostly students from local schools. Merasty was one of the speakers and he talked about how the majority (75 per cent) of those taking their lives by suicide in Saskatchewan are men.

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He explained Men of the North has provided a safe space for 2,000 men in the last four years. He noted men struggle with a variety of issues and it’s important to collaborate and share experiences.

Merasty added family, friends, teachers and several organizations are available and ready to provide understanding and support to those impacted by or contemplating suicide.

“If you don’t shine your light on this world, then you leave this world more cruel and more dark than it has to be. There is some much potential in each and every one of us here today,” he said.

Several speeches were made at the urban reserve after the walk. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Another speaker at the event was La Ronge RCMP Staff Sgt. Dean Bridle. He told attendees officers deal with suicide in their line of work often and they witness the devastating effects it has on family and the entire community.

Bridle also spoke candidly about how growing up he dropped out of school and started getting in trouble with law. He didn’t have the support he needed from family, but one day he became frustrated with the path he was going down.

“There were times, possibly when I thought about suicide as a solution as well, so I am thankful that I didn’t make that decision, but it’s still something that crossed my mind as a kid because things weren’t working out,” Bridle said.

“There wasn’t really anybody in my family who I could go to for support, so eventually I found that person that I could confide in and they kind of got me turned around [to] make better choices.”

According to the Government of Canada, every year approximately 4,500 people in Canada die by suicide, which is equivalent to 12 people dying by suicide every day. For every death by suicide, at least seven to 10 survivors are significantly affected by the loss.

The Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service has recorded 237 deaths by suicide in the province as of Aug. 14.

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If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact:

Canada Suicide Prevention Service (1-833-456-4566), Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service (306-933-6200), Prince Albert Mobile Crisis Unit (306-764-1011), Regina Mobile Crisis Services (306-525-5333) or the Hope for Wellness Help Line, which provides culturally competent crisis intervention counseling support for Indigenous Peoples at (1-855-242-3310).

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com