In Saskatchewan, relatives of a family whose members died of suspected overdoses are criticizing the lack of support for parents suffering from addiction. Anne Doig believes that such support would have helped her son, John Cowan, her daughter-in-law, Berkeley Donkervoort, and her granddaughter, Madison Cowan.
The parents and their daughter died within six months, said Anne Doig, adding that since the birth of her grandson, she was worried about the difficulties the child would face, because of the trust in his parents.
It’s a horrible thing to think about, but without significant intervention over a long period of time, this little girl’s hope for a normal life is in jeopardy.
Anne Doig, a retired family doctor, is sad.
He said his son studied piping in Alberta, but because of a head injury suffered in a car accident, he was unable to continue his career.
For her part, Berkeley Donkervoort’s mother, Susan Donkervoort, explained that her daughter is a dental hygienist. He believes the latter used fentanyl for eight years before his death.
Anne Doig holds the funeral cards of her grandson, her son and her husband, who died in the first six months of 2023 from a suspected overdose.
Anne Doig said Saskatchewan Coroners Service documents show that when her grandson died, he had fentanyl, carfentanil and benzodiazepines in his stomach.
John Cowan died shortly thereafter. Anne Doig said her son had taken quetiapine, a drug used to treat psychotic disorders or as a sedative for people suffering from addiction, in addition to “drugs bought on the street .”
A few months after the death of John Cowan, Berkeley Donkervoort died after drinking fentanyl and benzodiazepines
as his mother, Susan Donkervoort, explained.
The couple started dating in 2015. Berkeley Donkervoort got pregnant on Christmas 2020.
Anne Doig says her family’s tragic fate could have been avoided in other cases. However, he believes Saskatchewan’s current child protection system cannot handle this type of situation.
You can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, but I think the rules change when it involves a child.
He believed that a reliable, controlled source of drugs for addicts would prevent them from consuming what he called “contaminated garbage.”
In an email to CBC/Radio-Canada, Saskatchewan Health said it is focusing on treatment and recovery to deal with addiction.
The Saskatchewan government has no plans to supply illicit drugs through the public health system
wrote a spokesperson of the Ministry.
Adapt to different situations
According to addiction specialist at the University of Toronto and Center for Addiction and Mental Health Peter Selby, every family and every situation is different.
Just because someone has an addiction doesn’t mean they have to lose custody of the child forever, but it may mean calling on other people to make sure the child grows up safely.
explained the expert.
The latter believe that government agencies should intervene when parents cannot take care of their children.
Addiction can be reversed, and people can get better. I have seen this type of thing happen many times
he said.
If we don’t invest now, I feel we will lose an entire generation.
According to him, when children are taken away from their drug-using mothers, it reinforces prejudices and the idea that it is a bad mother
.
However, Peter Selby says the authorities need to re-examine how they support pregnant women who need help with drug addiction.
