Michael MacKay told police officers that his wife Cindy probably died by suicide, but the truth is he served her a lethal dose of poison concealed in a mug of Gatorade.
Cindy fell severely ill at her rural home on Feb. 7, 2020, and died in the hospital a few days later. Her husband Michael was charged with first-degree murder more than a year after her death, although he repeatedly told police he was not to blame.
Now, the story of what Michael actually did to Cindy has come out.
Michael pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday at the Court of King’s Bench in Battleford, Sask.
“It has been nearly four years since Cindy was murdered and today we finally got some justice. The terrible things [Michael] did to her are finally being told,” said Cindy’s brother, Tyler Mack, after the hearing.
“He has told many lies to many people about what happened to Cindy, so it is a great relief to all of us that the record is finally being set straight.”
Cindy MacKay’s relatives said she was full of love for her children and wanted to create a perfect life for them. CBC has blurred the children’s faces to protect their identities. (Submitted by Tyler Mack)
There was no trial because of Michael’s guilty plea, but details of what happened were revealed in an agreed statement of facts.
Cindy and Michael got married in 2005 after meeting at a Saskatoon church. The couple had three children and in 2015 they moved to Cindy’s family farm, where she had grown up.
Cindy continued to work as a registered nurse after they settled on the farm, until her youngest daughter suffered a “freak accident.” After that, she became a full-time caregiver and homemaker while Michael handled the cattle operation on the farm.
Ominous messages before murder
While they seemed like a typical small-town family from the outside, investigators found that Michael had been foreshadowing Cindy’s fate to some of his female acquaintances.
In December 2019, Michael told a close female friend he would need a place to “lie low” come February 2020.
A few months before Cindy died, Michael started having sex with a woman he met on a “hookup site.” On Feb. 6, 2020, the woman texted him inquiring about Cindy’s health.
He responded saying “goodbye will likely be in the next few days.”
‘We finally got some justice’: Brother of woman who was fatally poisoned at her farmhouse says she was a devoted mother
Featured VideoCindy MacKay, 38, was killed in 2020. MacKay’s husband Michael pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting to poisoning her at their farmhouse. In several victim impact statements, Cindy’s family members expressed intense anguish and anger over the loss of their loved one. They say she was a devoted mother to three children, who loved her kids, her animals and her community.
On the morning of Feb. 7, 2020, Cindy was feeling unwell so Michael took two of the kids to school. When he returned home, he grabbed a mug from the pantry and mixed Cindy a drink from a powdered Gatorade container. He added “an unmeasured but lethal amount of strychnine.”
The poison had been on the farm because Cindy’s parents used it for pests. Doctors say it is a very painful way to die.
Shortly after downing the laced drink, Cindy went into severe medical distress and Michael made frantic, emotional calls to 911. Their youngest daughter was told to wait outside while Cindy screamed in pain and arched her back as her muscles contracted.
She was taken to the hospital in Battleford, then airlifted to a hospital in Saskatoon, but never recovered. She was taken off life-support on Feb. 12, 2020.
Cindy MacKay loved to travel and she loved animals. Her brother said she was known for getting too attached to foster cats and taking them in as her own. (Submitted by Tyler Mack)
Hospital staff called the police, saying the death seemed suspicious. Michael suggested to police that it may have been suicide.
According to Oryn Holm, senior Crown prosecutor, murder by strychnine is extremely rare.
There was no direct evidence, like eyewitness testimony, but the Crown developed its theory based on a series of circumstances that were suspicious, ultimately charging Michael with first-degree murder.
He pleaded to the lesser offence of second-degree murder.
Michael MacKay spoke briefly in court.
“I acknowledge all of my many failings, as a husband, as a father, and I just want the court to know that I am truly sorry.”
Justice M.L. Dovell accepted a joint sentencing submission from the defence and Crown, ordering a sentence of life in prison, with eligibility to apply for parole in 10 years.
“Ten years isn’t even close to enough time to repay what he has taken from us. He should be in prison for the rest of his life,” said Mack, Cindy’s brother.
Cindy MacKay was a devoted, loving mother to her three girls. CBC has blurred their faces to protect their identities. (Submitted by Tyler Mack)
The tragedy has deeply affected Cindy’s loved ones and their community.
On Monday, dozens of people attended the court hearing to show support for Cindy and her family — so many that several had to listen from the hallway and others sat in the jurors box. Many were dressed in red, Cindy’s favourite colour.
“Cindy was a truly great person and a wonderful mother to her three children. She was kind and compassionate. She loved animals and adopted as many as she could. She was well liked in the community,” said Mack.
WestJet plans to introduce a new direct flight from Regina to Minneapolis beginning in 2024.
WestJet announced the new flight at the Canadian Western Agribition, held at the Viterra International Trade Centre, on Monday morning alongside the Saskatchewan government and the Regina Airport Authority.
WestJet says the new service will operate daily and year round beginning on April 28, with flights taking off from Regina every morning at 8:15 a.m, and return flights departing Minneapolis at 1:15 p.m.
The news comes after WestJet shared plans to introduce service directly from Saskatoon to Minneapolis earlier this year.
This will be the first time since 2016 that service to Minneapolis will be available, after Delta Airlines suspended its daily routes to Minneapolis.
WestJet and the government of Saskatchewan said the changes are part of an effort to increase and support Regina’s tourism and trade relations.
“The United States is Saskatchewan’s largest trading partner and export market,” said Jared Mikoch-Gerke, director of alliances and airport affairs for Westjet.
Mikoch-Gerke said that exports to the U.S reached “an all time high of 29.3 billion dollars in 2022.”
“Having direct air access to the United States year-round allows for new investment opportunities and expanded trade relationships,” he said.
Jeremy Harrison, minister of Trade and Export Development, echoed these statements, and said the changes will have positive impacts on local communities all across the province.
“It means jobs and it means opportunity for people here in Saskatchewan,” he said. “From the business communities perspective, from tourism, from event hosting like here at Agribition this all makes a really really significant difference for the city.”
Harrison said the province will spend $500,000 for the minimum revenue guarantee to the Regina Airport Authority.
Earlier this year, the province revealed it will provide a minimum revenue guarantee of up to $2.2 million to the Saskatoon Airport Authority for the direct flight from Saskatoon to Minneapolis.
“Which is not an unusual arrangement with airport authorities across North America,” he said.
President and CEO of the Regina Airport Authority James Bogusz said the airport authority has been working on reintroducing service since 2018. He says moving forward, he hopes that more service can be introduced.
“We’ve ensured that when WestJet lands their planes at our airport they have a good chance at making profitability, which then means when they evaluate the routes for long-term performance we are in a much better position to try to encourage more service,” he said.
Monday’s session in the Saskatchewan legislature was interrupted by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“Hopefully this shows our governments what we want, because if governments are for the people, why aren’t they listening to the people?” said protester Tayyaba Farooq.
Following a rally Monday at 1 p.m. CST outside the legislature in Regina, several dozen people entered the public gallery. Partway through question period, they began to chant, “Ceasefire Now” and “Free Palestine.”
The speaker asked them to be seated and comply with the legislature rules, which prohibit gallery members from speaking. The group continued.
Saskatchewan Party government MLAs then stood and walked out of the chamber. NDP MLAs, who have supported the calls for a ceasefire, eventually left as well.
Tayyaba Farooq and others rallied inside and outside the Saskatchewan legislature Monday, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. (CBC)
Security officials asked the protesters to leave and they did.
At some point Monday, someone draped a small banner featuring a Palestinian flag on a pole flying the Israeli flag, hung in the legislature following the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7.
“The Israel flag in the middle, how is that not provocative?” Farooq said. “If you want to have peaceful protests and to remain neutral, then you practise the same thing that you preach to us. Well, how are we supposed to walk in there and not feel provoked and not feel like there’s already a bias as we’re walking in there?”
This Isreali flag was put up in the Saskatchewan Legislature Building after Oct. 7. Some time Monday, someone draped a banner with the Palestine flag onto the flagpole. (Adam Hunter/CBC)
Another protester, Mohammad Abushar, said he will never forget seeing provincial government MLAs walk out of the legislature.
“We will remember that every single time they come to ask for our votes,” he said.
WATCH: Group calling for Gaza ceasefire removed from Sask. legislature:
Group calling for Gaza ceasefire removed from Sask. legislature
Featured VideoA group that flooded into the Saskatchewan Legislative Building demanding a ceasefire in Gaza was removed by security on Monday.
The Saskatchewan government declined to comments on the protests Monday. On Oct. 10, Premier Scott Moe announced his government would send $100,000 to Israel in emergency aid following the attack by Hamas.
Last week, the government said it continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself.
The University of Saskatchewan’s Muslim Student Association organized a similar rally Monday in Saskatoon. Roughly 50 people gathered in the U of S bowl area to call for a ceasefire.
“The Palestinian population in Gaza is defenceless. There is no need for them to suffer,” said U of S veterinary college faculty member Ahmad Al-Dissi. “Events like this raise awareness and put pressure on politicians to act, and stop this madness.”
Protesters gathered Monday on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Jason Warick/CBC)
Those opposed to the ceasefire include U.S. President Joe Biden.
“As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a ceasefire is not peace,” Biden stated in a Washington Post article. “To Hamas’s members, every ceasefire is time they exploit to rebuild their stockpile of rockets, reposition fighters, and restart the killing by attacking innocents again.”
Monday’s session in the Saskatchewan legislature was interrupted by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“Hopefully this shows our governments what we want, because if governments are for the people, why aren’t they listening to the people?” said protester Tayyaba Farooq.
Following a rally Monday at 1 p.m. CST outside the legislature in Regina, several dozen people entered the public gallery. Partway through question period, they began to chant, “Ceasefire Now” and “Free Palestine.”
The speaker asked them to be seated and comply with the legislature rules, which prohibit gallery members from speaking. The group continued.
Saskatchewan Party government MLAs then stood and walked out of the chamber. NDP MLAs, who have supported the calls for a ceasefire, eventually left as well.
Tayyaba Farooq and others rallied inside and outside the Saskatchewan legislature Monday, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. (CBC)
Security officials asked the protesters to leave and they did.
At some point Monday, someone draped a small banner featuring a Palestinian flag on a pole flying the Israeli flag, hung in the legislature following the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7.
“The Israel flag in the middle, how is that not provocative?” Farooq said. “If you want to have peaceful protests and to remain neutral, then you practise the same thing that you preach to us. Well, how are we supposed to walk in there and not feel provoked and not feel like there’s already a bias as we’re walking in there?”
This Isreali flag was put up in the Saskatchewan Legislature Building after Oct. 7. Some time Monday, someone draped a banner with the Palestine flag onto the flagpole. (Adam Hunter/CBC)
Another protester, Mohammad Abushar, said he will never forget seeing provincial government MLAs walk out of the legislature.
“We will remember that every single time they come to ask for our votes,” he said.
WATCH: Group calling for Gaza ceasefire removed from Sask. legislature:
Group calling for Gaza ceasefire removed from Sask. legislature
Featured VideoA group that flooded into the Saskatchewan Legislative Building demanding a ceasefire in Gaza was removed by security on Monday.
The Saskatchewan government declined to comments on the protests Monday. On Oct. 10, Premier Scott Moe announced his government would send $100,000 to Israel in emergency aid following the attack by Hamas.
Last week, the government said it continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself.
The University of Saskatchewan’s Muslim Student Association organized a similar rally Monday in Saskatoon. Roughly 50 people gathered in the U of S bowl area to call for a ceasefire.
“The Palestinian population in Gaza is defenceless. There is no need for them to suffer,” said U of S veterinary college faculty member Ahmad Al-Dissi. “Events like this raise awareness and put pressure on politicians to act, and stop this madness.”
Protesters gathered Monday on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Jason Warick/CBC)
Those opposed to the ceasefire include U.S. President Joe Biden.
“As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a ceasefire is not peace,” Biden stated in a Washington Post article. “To Hamas’s members, every ceasefire is time they exploit to rebuild their stockpile of rockets, reposition fighters, and restart the killing by attacking innocents again.”
A former high school teacher in Saskatoon is on trial charged with sexual exploitation of a Grade 12 student.
Matthew Tumbach taught science at Tommy Douglas Collegiate in 2011 when he allegedly had sex with a 17-year-old female student. He is now in a judge-alone trial at Court of King’s Bench before Justice Colin Clackson.
Prosecutor Sheryl Fillo opened — and then closed — the Crown’s case Monday, calling two witnesses. They were the complainant, who is now 29, and her best friend from school, who is now 28.
“It felt like love,” the alleged victim testified. “I told my best friend the next day that I’d slept with Mr. Tumbach.”
The timing of the events is going to be key at the trial.
Tumbach surrendered his teaching certificate for 10 years in 2021 after admitting to the sexual relationship. However, he maintained during the investigation by the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board that he did not have intercourse with the young woman until after she had graduated and was 18 years old.
Court heard Monday that the woman met Tumbach when she was in Grade 10 and he was interning at the high school. Over time, the pair became friends and met for morning tea in his classroom office a couple times a week. They also began communicating on social media.
“We would talk about my family, friendship problems, music,” she said.
“It felt like he wouldn’t judge me on the things I told him.”
The woman said she went to Tumbach’s Broadway-area apartment just before Christmas break in 2011. She was 17, finishing her first semester of Grade 12, and getting ready to move to Manitoba.
She said they watched a movie — Son in Law — in his living room, smoked marijuana, drank beer and then moved into his bedroom to watch Super Troopers.
“We started kissing and made our way under the covers. And we had sex.”
The woman said they never discussed their attraction prior to having sex, “it was just something we felt.” She said she knew because of the “lustful looks” they exchanged at school.
The woman said she reported what happened later, while in therapy for childhood trauma, and realized “this is not OK, this shouldn’t happen to students.”
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Michael Nolin, the woman admitted that she was struggling with alcohol and drugs at the time. She did move to Manitoba for her last semester of Grade 12, but did not graduate and returned to Saskatoon and to Tommy Douglas Collegiate.
Nolin suggested to the woman and her friend that they had confused when the relationship began because both students had to go through Grade 12 twice.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called the alleged actions of a former Sask. Party MLA “disgusting and vile” Monday, while speaking to media at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.
Ryan Domotor, 56, was arrested at a hotel in east Regina on Thursday afternoon just hours after he had been at the legislature. He is charged with communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.
Moe said he booted Domotor from caucus and stripped him of all his government appointments once his office confirmed the criminal charge. Domotor still represents his constituency, Cut Knife-Turtleford, as an independent.
“What happened is disgusting and vile to be quite frank.… a government needs to be supporting women that are in a vulnerable state, not exploiting them,” Moe said. “This is not acceptable in any way by myself, by this government, [it’s] terrible.”
Domotor was one of 16 people arrested last week in a Regina Police Service vice unit sting aimed at combating sexual exploitation and human trafficking. His first court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 4, police said.
Moe said he hasn’t spoken with Domotor since the arrest and is not aware of any other members of the caucus being arrested.
Domotor’s alleged actions are the “exact opposite” of what members of the Saskatchewan government should be doing, Moe said.
“We have a government that is moving very much in this space, funding second stage shelters. [We’re] going to be amending the Human Trafficking Act in this very session,” Moe said. “This is a government that needs to be doing all that it can to stop this behaviour.”
WATCH | Premier Moe says alleged actions of Sask. Party MLA charged with soliciting sexual services are ‘disgusting and vile’:
Premier Moe says alleged actions of Sask. Party MLA charged with soliciting sexual services are ‘disgusting and vile’
Featured VideoA Saskatchewan Party MLA has been booted from caucus after being criminally charged. Ryan Domotor, the MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford, is charged with communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services. Premier Scott Moe said Monday that Domotor’s actions are the opposite of what his government stands for.
Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck later raised what she described as “a troubling pattern from Sask. Party MLAs,” during Monday’s question period at the Saskatchewan legislature.
“This is completely inappropriate conduct for anyone, let alone a sitting member of this assembly,” Beck said, adding that Domotor’s arrest came about a year after Colin Thatcher, who was convicted of killing his wife, was invited to the 2022 Throne Speech.
Thatcher, who served as an energy minister under former Conservative premier Grant Devine, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, after his ex-wife JoAnn Wilson was found beaten and shot to death in her Regina home in 1983. Her death followed their tense breakup and a bitter custody dispute over their three children.
Thatcher served 22 years in prison before being granted full parole in 2006. He always maintained his innocence.
Former MLA Lyle Stewart, who resigned from his post this year for health reasons, invited Thatcher to last year’s Throne Speech. The provincial government expressed remorse afterward for having done so.
Moe, in response to Beck during Monday’s question period, again described Domotor’s alleged actions as disgusting and stood by his government’s swift response.
“[The consequences] were harsh,” Moe said. “I think we can agree that all members in this assembly need to be working together to support those women, in particular, that are in vulnerable situations, Mr. Speaker, and should not be looking to exploit their situation.”
Ryan Domotor, MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford, faces a charge of soliciting sexual services. (Saskatchewan Party website)
Domotor, first elected as an MLA in 2020, was acclaimed in July as the Sask. Party candidate in next year’s election. However, as of Friday afternoon, the Sask. Party’s announcement of Domotor’s 2024 candidacy was no longer available on its website.
“He won’t be running for us, we’ll be finding a new candidate to run in the riding,” Moe said Monday.
Prior to his time as an MLA, Domotor previously served as a member of the standing committee on human services and was serving on the economy committee, according to his official government biography.
He was the chief administrative officer for the RM of Mervin from 1994 until 2020.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called the alleged actions of a former Sask. Party MLA “disgusting and vile” Monday, while speaking to media at the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.
Ryan Domotor, 56, was arrested at a hotel in east Regina on Thursday afternoon just hours after he had been at the legislature. He is charged with communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.
Moe said he booted Domotor from caucus and stripped him of all his government appointments once his office confirmed the criminal charge. Domotor still represents his constituency, Cut Knife-Turtleford, as an independent.
“What happened is disgusting and vile to be quite frank.… a government needs to be supporting women that are in a vulnerable state, not exploiting them,” Moe said. “This is not acceptable in any way by myself, by this government, [it’s] terrible.”
Domotor was one of 16 people arrested last week in a Regina Police Service vice unit sting aimed at combating sexual exploitation and human trafficking. His first court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 4, police said.
Moe said he hasn’t spoken with Domotor since the arrest and is not aware of any other members of the caucus being arrested.
Domotor’s alleged actions are the “exact opposite” of what members of the Saskatchewan government should be doing, Moe said.
“We have a government that is moving very much in this space, funding second stage shelters. [We’re] going to be amending the Human Trafficking Act in this very session,” Moe said. “This is a government that needs to be doing all that it can to stop this behaviour.”
WATCH | Premier Moe says alleged actions of Sask. Party MLA charged with soliciting sexual services are ‘disgusting and vile’:
Premier Moe says alleged actions of Sask. Party MLA charged with soliciting sexual services are ‘disgusting and vile’
Featured VideoA Saskatchewan Party MLA has been booted from caucus after being criminally charged. Ryan Domotor, the MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford, is charged with communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services. Premier Scott Moe said Monday that Domotor’s actions are the opposite of what his government stands for.
Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck later raised what she described as “a troubling pattern from Sask. Party MLAs,” during Monday’s question period at the Saskatchewan legislature.
“This is completely inappropriate conduct for anyone, let alone a sitting member of this assembly,” Beck said, adding that Domotor’s arrest came about a year after Colin Thatcher, who was convicted of killing his wife, was invited to the 2022 Throne Speech.
Thatcher, who served as an energy minister under former Conservative premier Grant Devine, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, after his ex-wife JoAnn Wilson was found beaten and shot to death in her Regina home in 1983. Her death followed their tense breakup and a bitter custody dispute over their three children.
Thatcher served 22 years in prison before being granted full parole in 2006. He always maintained his innocence.
Former MLA Lyle Stewart, who resigned from his post this year for health reasons, invited Thatcher to last year’s Throne Speech. The provincial government expressed remorse afterward for having done so.
Moe, in response to Beck during Monday’s question period, again described Domotor’s alleged actions as disgusting and stood by his government’s swift response.
“[The consequences] were harsh,” Moe said. “I think we can agree that all members in this assembly need to be working together to support those women, in particular, that are in vulnerable situations, Mr. Speaker, and should not be looking to exploit their situation.”
Ryan Domotor, MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford, faces a charge of soliciting sexual services. (Saskatchewan Party website)
Domotor, first elected as an MLA in 2020, was acclaimed in July as the Sask. Party candidate in next year’s election. However, as of Friday afternoon, the Sask. Party’s announcement of Domotor’s 2024 candidacy was no longer available on its website.
“He won’t be running for us, we’ll be finding a new candidate to run in the riding,” Moe said Monday.
Prior to his time as an MLA, Domotor previously served as a member of the standing committee on human services and was serving on the economy committee, according to his official government biography.
He was the chief administrative officer for the RM of Mervin from 1994 until 2020.
A state of emergency has been called by the Village of Cumberland House with the support of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) and the Cumberland House Cree Nation.
They say there is not enough water available to fill their community’s reservoir for the coming winter.
According to a release, Cumberland House officials and MN-S are engaging with the Water Security Agency, the Watershed Authority, SaskPower, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency and Cumberland House Cree Nation to find a solution to this systemic issue.
“The reservoir is the only source of clean drinking water for the Cumberland House community,” the release read. “The community currently only has sufficient water to last 4 weeks. Losing this resource will jeopardize the health and safety of the community and people.”
The acting mayor of Cumberland House stated this ongoing situation is a result of complete negligence from SaskPower, the Water Security Agency and the Saskatchewan government.
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“Along with the Municipality not having access to freshwater, wildlife and our traditional medicines are at risk of being lost,” Veronica Favel stated. “Continuously we have felt this impact.”
The Cumberland House Cree Nation chief said his community has the inherent right to secure and reliable water sources and the current water crisis is deeply concerning.
“We call upon authorities to take immediate and collaborative action to restore their water supply. The Nation’s struggle for access to water is a stark reminder of the urgent need for the co-development of sustainable water management policies, informed by local Indigenous knowledge,” Chief Rene Chaboyer said.
Ryan Carriere, the MN-S regional director, said ongoing issues with water fluctuations continue to be a health and safety issue for their community members and wildlife that call the Saskatchewan River Delta home.
“Resource users are not able to safely navigate the waterways to access traditional harvesting grounds and are damaging equipment because of low water,” Carriere stated.
“As Section 35 rights holders we have an Aboriginal right to our ancestral lands to gather medicines, hunt, and fish. Our traditional way of life and our cultural identity and teachings are being lost by not being able to access our ancestral homelands. The current water crisis is causing the Largest Inland Delta in North America.”
According to the release, the Cumberland House reservoir is fed by the Big Stone River, part of the Saskatchewan River system. The Big Stone River has stopped flowing due to low watershed levels. With winter coming soon and water bodies freezing, time is limited to find solutions to get water into the reservoir.
“Reduced flow levels in the watershed due to ongoing drought conditions and systemic upstream water diversions along the South and North Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan River watersheds have emptied the village’s reservoir and surrounding Delta watershed,” the release read.
“An immediate response is needed from government agencies responsible to restore safe and reliable access to drinking water in Cumberland House and safe water levels to navigate the Saskatchewan Delta River system safely. ”
In an email statement from the province, many Saskatchewan ministries and agencies, including the Water Security Agency, SaskPower, the Ministry of Government Relations, SaskWater, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, are working with the Northern Village of Cumberland House to implement short-term solutions, as well as looking at longer term solutions to ensure the reliability of the village’s water supply.
“A short-term solution has been implemented, with additional pumping capacity currently operating,” according to the statement. “It is expected the reservoir will be full by this weekend, providing approximately 3 months of water storage.”
The province added that additional sources are being considered to ensure that water is available to the village until spring 2024 and beyond.
A working group of Cumberland House, government ministries/agencies, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and other interested parties has been formed to recommend viable long-term water supply solutions for the village.
In a statement from the SHA on Sept. 27, 2023, the decision was made solely by ECC prior to involving the SHA or provincial government.
“The SHA acknowledges ECC’s decision to no longer provide LTC services and appreciates the decades of service the Regina Lutheran Home has provided to the people of Saskatchewan as a valued and respected affiliate long-term care partner in Regina,” the statement read.
‘”The SHA has decided not to pursue purchase of the property at this time. Given the current building is at the end of its lifespan, the SHA determined it may require further assessment and potentially significant repair work.”
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Specialized long-term care facility site selected in Regina
SHA stated they along with ECC are working together on this transition of care for residents and that plans are being developed to move all current residents to other homes as appropriate spaces become available.
“We will work with residents and their families individually to consider their options and support appropriate placement within Regina over the next few weeks,” the statement read.
The RLH is home to 62 residents. The family of one resident is disappointed as their loved one, who has Alzheimer’s, will have to start all over in another facility.
“I am very dismayed to hear the Lutheran Home is to be shut down and the residents moved to who-knows-where,” stated Todd Miki, in an email statement to Global News.
“We were told back in April or May that changes were coming to the care home, but I never for a second thought my mother would have to be relocated to another facility.”
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Miki’s mother, Joanne, has been a resident at the RLH for many years where she has received care that is described as “splendid and second to none.”
“I can say without a doubt the care my mother receives at the Lutheran Home is top-notch, and I personally will miss seeing them every weekend when I make my visits to see my mother,” the statement read.
“I’m very upset about this upcoming change, but I can only hope and assume it’s being done for good reason.”
A continuing care aide (CCA) at the RLH, who is also the first vice-president with CUPE that covers the former Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, says it’s a small home-like facility that has many long-term staff employed who did not expect to hear the news.
“Everybody is devastated about the news,” said Darlene Gilewich, who has worked at RLH for over 39 years.
“They’re very worried about where their residents are going to be going and the care that they’re going to receive.”
Gilewich said this move will mean a lot of layoffs and says they have approximately 100 CUPE members that will be laid off.
“This is going to have a big effect in the city (and) in the Regina area,” said Gilewich. “I feel awful for all the residents who are going through this. All the staff do. We care for our residents. They’re like family to us. We’re their family.”
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Global News reached out to ECC on behalf of RLH but did not hear a response by publication.
The government of Saskatchewan will bring forth education policies that have sparked some major debate when the legislature starts back up on Tuesday (today), but how did we get here and what does it all mean?
Former education minister Dustin Duncan announced back in August new education policies that would require parental permission if a child under the age of 16 wanted to go by a different name or pronouns.
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The policies also require parents to be informed about the sexual health education curriculum and parents will have the option to have their child opt out of those classes.
Lastly, the policies called for school boards to stop their involvement with third-party organizations connected with sexual health education as the ministry reviewed educational resources.
Only teachers and professionals employed by government ministries or the Saskatchewan Health Authority would be able to present sexual health material.
Moe defends decision to recall assembly over pronouns policy
The ministry suspended Planned Parenthood from presenting in schools back in June due to a child getting a hold of a pamphlet separately from a classroom presentation that was described to have graphic sexual vocabulary.
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The pamphlet hadn’t been approved by the school, and the executive director for Planned Parenthood had said it normally doesn’t carry material that teachers weren’t already familiar with, and had contacted the school as soon as it learned about the situation.
Duncan had claimed that these policies would also create consistency across school divisions, likening the pronoun permission policy to getting parental permission to go on a school trip.
Premier Scott Moe also claimed these policies were brought down at the request of parents in the province.
Scott Moe vows notwithstanding clause after judge halts pronoun policy
The new policies raised immediate concerns with several human rights, LGBTQ2, and sexual health organizations.
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These organizations included OUTSaskatoon, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Egale Canada, UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre, Saskatchewan Teachers Federation and the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, to name a few.
The Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth announced that it would investigate the new policies, later coming to the conclusion that the pronouns and name policy in schools violated provincial human rights laws and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“We agree with the government’s desire to place a high importance on the involvement of parents and guardians in education. However, this objective can be achieved without imposing such strict rules around consent, which could result in a violation of a young person’s rights under provincial, constitutional, and international human rights laws,” said Advocate Lisa Broda, who conducted the review.
The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code states that “discrimination because of gender identity or gender expression is against the law in Saskatchewan.”
The Government of Canada website says a person’s gender identity is each person’s internal and individual experience of gender, noting for some people, their gender identity doesn’t align with their sex assigned at birth, which is often described as transgender or trans.
It added that a person’s gender expression is how a person publicly presents their gender, which can be shown through behaviour, outward appearance, body language, voice, or the pronouns they use.
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Broda claimed that the age requirement of 16 isn’t fair to students because it does not demonstrate the individual’s capabilities.
“Many young people under the age of 16 will have the capacity to make this type of decision. Giving them the chance to demonstrate capacity is an important step in accommodating their right to their gender identity.”
Many advocates have pointed to statistics that trans people are far more susceptible to things like suicide, but those numbers drop when those people are able to use the pronouns and names they identify with.
A landmark 2018 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found transgender youth who are able to use names and pronouns of their choosing reported a 34 per cent drop in suicidal thoughts and a 65 per cent decrease in suicide attempts.
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Moe has been pushing back the entire way, insisting that these new policies, particularly the pronouns and name policy, would protect parental rights, which is not included in the Charter, but which he says are important to Saskatchewan residents nonetheless.
“It is in the best interest of children to ensure parents are included in their children’s education, in their classrooms and in all important decisions involving their children,” Moe said.
Restrictions around third-party organizations not being able to present sexual health education at schools shocked some, with Amber Stewart, the executive director for the Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre, saying it was not only detrimental to the centre’s staffing, but also to the education and sexual health of students across the province.
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“Our province has the highest rates of STIs, high rates of unplanned pregnancy, high rates of interpersonal violence, and taking away education is not going to stop kids from having sex,” Stewart said.
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She stressed that not every parent is a safe person for these kids to be around, noting some parents are kicking their kids out of the house based on who they identify as.
Stewart added that some teachers aren’t comfortable covering sexual health and prevention topics, which is why organizations like hers exist.
“They aren’t comfortable necessarily delivering this information, just as I wouldn’t be comfortable walking in and teaching Grade 9 math, that’s not my thing. But I can come in and talk about consent all day long.”
Regarding the government’s announcement that parents would be able to opt their kids out of sexual health education classes, Saskatchewan Teachers Federation president Samantha Becotte said that’s always been an option for parents and isn’t anything new.
Lawyers for UR Pride sought an injunction against the pronoun policy at the end of September, arguing that it could cause teachers to out or misgender kids and that it violates Charter rights.
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The province’s lawyers said the policy was being misinterpreted.
Moe made it clear in the lead-up to the court’s decision that his government would use whatever tools necessary to keep the policy in place, and immediately after a Saskatchewan judge granted an interim injunction, Moe vowed to use the notwithstanding clause.
The clause, sometimes known as “the override power,” allows governments to override some rights within the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
That override can’t be challenged and expires after five years, though a government can renew it. The only way to remove the clause from a policy is for the enacting government to rescind the use of the clause, or for that government to get booted out of office through an election and for the new government to rescind it.
“If people aren’t happy with the use of the notwithstanding clause, if they aren’t happy with how the government has violated rights, they can vote them out,” explained Sarah Burningham, assistant professor at the college of law at the University of Saskatchewan.
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The Saskatchewan Legislature starts back up on Tuesday after Moe announced that it would be starting early so that the notwithstanding clause could be invoked and the education policies could be implemented as quickly as possible.
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This has left teachers and schools feeling unsure and confused about the next steps, with Becotte wondering why these policies were being rushed through, adding teachers haven’t received any guidelines from the Ministry of Education.
She explained that the Ministry would direct school divisions, who would then direct teachers, but Becotte noted that things haven’t been very clear.
“Unfortunately, it just has been so confusing for everyone in this process. Many school divisions haven’t set out clear policies and processes that would direct teachers on what they need to be doing.”
Becotte said in terms of the third-party organization ban, that message has been quite clear, but there remain questions about what is encompassed in sexual health education and what organizations are banned.
She said some teachers are even questioning whether they should be following the direction of school divisions and the Ministry.
“Teachers are questioning, ‘Do I follow my school division and the Ministry, or do I uphold the child student rights?’ It’s a scary position for a lot of teachers to be in, wondering what they might get challenged on.”
Global News reached out to the Ministry of Education and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association for comment.
The Saskatchewan School Boards Association said the matter is still before the courts and couldn’t comment at this time.
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The ministry directed Global News to comments Premier Scott Moe has previously made regarding the issue.
Moe claimed that these education policies will create clarity for parents and teachers, as well as build a more responsive education system.
When asked why more consultation wasn’t done with experts regarding child impact or legal experts regarding the legislation, Moe said a lot of discussions happened between MLAs and parents.
He said there is an opportunity within a short period of time for the government to look at the existing supports in place for students, adding they’ve been looking at things like rapid access counselling services.
Moe said school divisions are working on their implementation plans.
When asked about what sort of guidelines schools have received regarding the pause on third-party organizations presenting sexual health material in classrooms, the province added a statement.
“It was directed on Aug. 22, 2023, that boards of education must immediately pause involvement with any third-party organization connected to sexual health education as the ministry undertakes review of educational resources to ensure alignment with curriculum outcomes,” the government said. “Only teachers, not outside third parties, will be able to present sexual education materials in the classroom. This directive does not include professionals employed by government ministries or the Saskatchewan Health Authority.”
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“There were no changes made to the curriculum as a result of the new policies. Sexual assault prevention education will continue to be taught by teachers as part of the curriculum,” the statement said.
— with files from Brooke Kruger and The Canadian Press
