REGINA - Opposition New Democrats are calling on the province to award a provincial medal to honour first responders who die in the line of duty or from work-related injuries.
At a news conference at the legislature Wednesday, Opposition House Leader Nicole Sarauer stood with David Reed, a decorated advanced care paramedic and a Canadian Armed Forces veteran who has been a proponent of the medal. Both called on the province to bring in a provincial medal, which Sarauer said would be the first medal of its kind in Canada.
“Every day, police officers, firefighters and paramedics across Saskatchewan put their lives on the line to protect our communities,” said Sarauer. “Sadly, some of those brave men and women make the ultimate sacrifice and never come home. There's no way to fully repay that, but that shouldn't stop us from trying.”
She said a provincial medal would not be just symbolic, but would provide families a “lasting form of recognition, something that they can carry forward through generations.”
Sarauer noted Reed’s campaign has backing from the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers, the Paramedic Services Chiefs of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police.
“Unfortunately, the Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety has rejected the proposal, choosing instead to pursue a memorial. Now, a memorial is important and we do support that move, but we can and we should do both. A medal is personal. It's something a family can hold, display and pass down. That kind of recognition matters. That's why we're calling on the government to reconsider, commit to creating a provincial medal to honour Saskatchewan's fallen heroes.”
Reed that during his time as a paramedic and as a Sergeant Major, “I have had the opportunity and the honour to be a part and officiate around 22 funerals across Canada for paramedics and other colleagues that have lost their lives in the line of duty and more than a few that have lost their battle due to OSI, or as we know it, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
Reed adds that the memorial “is a fantastic idea. However, within the Emergency Services community, we truly feel this is only halfway because having a memorial is a great place for family, friends, the public to go to remember, reflect and to learn….
“The medal is something that the family will cherish and will be able to wear on any special event that emergency services would have so that our community, emergency services and the general public would know at a quick glance that their family paid the ultimate sacrifice so that their family member has made a difference in somebody else's life.”
As for the province’s response so far, Sarauer said she was surprised by the response they had received.
“When David came to my office, I thought it would be an easy, non-partisan project that could be done for all of government to show our respect for First Responders," said Sarauer.
"The response we received back from the Minister (of Policing and Public Safety Tim McLeod) was that instead of doing this medal, they were working on a memorial. And I think David outlined very well why the memorial is nice, but it's only one step. And there are a lot of reasons why a medal is really important for us to show our thanks and our respect for fallen officers.
"So we have written back to the Minister urging him to reconsider, asking more detailed questions about the creation of this memorial, and asking that he meet with David.mBecause I think when you hear the story that David has and all of the funerals that he attended and why this is incredibly important to first responders, it's a very hard thing to say no to.”
Reed said that prior to the election, there were meetings with ministers Christine Tell and Paul Merriman.
“Due to the election, they were not able to carry on with their duties,” Reed said. “So the project actually kind of got dropped. I don't take defeat well. So with that, I started reaching out to other colleagues and asking, where do I go? I got directed to members within the NDP party. They were very, very interested and had open ears and helped me with guidance.”
In a statement, the province had this to say about the request for a provincial medal:
“The Government of Saskatchewan appreciates the continued advocacy of first responder David Reed.
“The Government of Saskatchewan, through the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, is currently developing the ‘Saskatchewan Protective Services Memorial’ in Wascana Centre, which is expected to be unveiled by this fall.
“The memorial will be a physical monument that will recognize the continual service and sacrifice of Saskatchewan’s first responder and public service sectors. This includes those whose deaths are attributable to their duties while keeping the province’s citizens and resources safe.
“The memorial will align with the already established Saskatchewan Protective Services Medal, whose recipient criteria include those “who have law enforcement powers, or work in safety services and professions whose work is directly related to the safety, security and protection of people.”
