The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
A program that assists victims of crime in northern Saskatchewan will be expanding into Creighton. North Sask Victim Services (NSVS) is a police-based program that provides services to victims of child abuse, domestic violence, assault and other serious crimes. Those services include information, support, referral and advocating for victims with police, mental health professionals and the justice system. NSVS held its official launch on April 26 in La Ronge with representatives from the provincial government and RCMP participating. 'This event is important step forward for victims in northern Saskatchewan,' said Saskatchewan Attorney General Gordon Wyant. Wyant spoke of the benefits of the new regional model for Victim Services, which is unique to northern Saskatchewan. The program offers greater capacity for staff in support, training and debriefing after difficult cases. It will also enhance the ability of employees to cover for each other throughout northern Saskatchewan in the event of illness or unexpected absence. And it will let Victim Services staff spend less time on paperwork and more time helping victims. Over the next year, NSVS will receive additional funding to expand to Creighton, Pelican Narrows, Deschambault Lake and four other northern RCMP detachments where it currently lacks a presence. Wyant acknowledged the role played by former board members of local Victim Services agencies in assisting the transition of the program across the North. 'Because of your efforts, more Saskatchewan residents will have access to these important services than ever before,' he said. Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette spoke on the importance of looking at the root causes of the problems in northern Saskatchewan and of government members coming to the North. See 'Work' on pg. Continued from pg. He acknowledged the provincial and federal government's and the RCMP's commitment to the Victim Services program and the opportunity to work together to improve the lives of victims. Assistant RCMP Commissioner Russ Mirasty, head of the RCMP in Saskatchewan, talked about the role of the RCMP in the Victim Services program. He also spoke about the history and formation of the program and the increasing focus on victims. 'We were sometimes so focused on getting the offenders processed through the systems that the true victims fell by the wayside,' Mirasty said. 'I've seen how that's changed in a big way here in Saskatchewan and across Canada, absolutely for the right reasons.' As of July 17, NSVS will be a registered non-profit organization with a board of directors that includes representatives from across the North. _ Vallerie G. Barnes-Connell, The La Ronge Northerner
