On August 17, 2020 Saskatchewan MSTH member families gathered at the Regina Legislature for an emotional group photo as , well as striking individual photos to remember loved ones lost to substance use related causes.

The event was organized by Regina member Jenny Churchill and with the support of MSTH board member Marie Agioritis. The photographer for this memorial photo was Nicole Gerhardt, Jenny’s daughter, who’s own experience of losing her brother Jordan, helps her in capturing raw emotion of these grieving mothers.

Media was on sit and Global News shared the report on their Facebook page.

With the upcoming provincial election in Saskatchewan on October 26th these images are a stark reminder that this public health crisis has been ignored by the current government. Advocates call for full funding of harm reduction services, including supervised consumption services (SCS), rapid access to safe supply (pharmaceutical alternatives to toxic street drugs) and to evidence based treatment, as well as an end to the criminalization of people who use drugs.