Lac La Ronge chief welcomes report on child suicides

The chief of one of Saskatchewan’s largest Indigenous communities is praising the efforts of the province’s advocate for children and youth to deal with an epidemic of youth suicides.

Tammy Cook-Searson, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, said she welcomed calls to action contained in a report by Children’s Advocate Corey O’Soup.

The report, due to be released early Tuesday afternoon, comes after a year of work following the deaths of six young girls in Northern Saskatchewan in the fall of 2016.

Cook-Searson praised O’Soup’s staff for visiting communities and schools throughout the region as part of preparing the report.

“The report captures the voices of Indigenous youth on the realities they face and experience, and allows them to be a part of the solutions that will lead to meaningful change in their quality of life,” Cook-Searson said.