A union representing library workers in Saskatchewan urges Premier Scott Moe’s government to tackle drug addiction and violence plaguing public libraries. Workers report serving as makeshift shelters amid rising overdoses and assaults.
Workers Face Overdoses and Machete Attacks
Kent Peterson, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Saskatchewan, highlights severe incidents where staff have witnessed overdoses and even lost fingers in machete assaults. He joined Opposition NDP members at a news conference in Saskatoon to demand increased funding for community services.
“Library workers don’t want to turn people in need away, but they are not addictions experts, they aren’t security guards, and they aren’t mental health counselors,” Peterson stated. “It’s dangerous for library workers and it’s dangerous for library patrons.”
Last year, two Saskatoon library branches closed temporarily due to escalating drug use and violence.
NDP Critic Calls for Broader Solutions
NDP health critic Vicki Mowat emphasizes the worsening toxic drug crisis and growing homeless population in Saskatoon. “Library workers are not first responders, and they should not be left to do the job of the provincial government,” Mowat said.
She advocates for enhanced support to keep workers safe and efficient, alongside efforts to address homelessness, addictions, crime, and their root causes.
Government Highlights Ongoing Efforts
Social Services Minister Terry Jenson notes recent expansions in treatment spaces and outreach teams in Saskatoon that connect individuals to needed supports. “We have outreach teams that meet people in place to be able to provide those individuals with some supports and try to guide them to a place where they need to be,” Jenson explained.
Jenson acknowledges more action is required but stresses it demands collaboration among municipalities, the province, federal government, Indigenous partners, and community organizations. “This is not something that is going to be solved with a snap of the finger,” he told reporters in Regina.
