Krystal Mousseau, Remember Her Name

 We made it friends. To another Friday anyway. 

For those keeping scores, at least our province isn't the only one with a clueless leader.

Allow me to tell you a little bit about what is happening in Manitoba this month. 

On May 1, 2021,   Krystal Mousseau, had a 31-year-old Indigenous woman having a medical crisis. The Brandon hospital she went to for help deemed themselves unable to help her. They were in another covid wave so beds and staffing were not available to give her the help she required. So she was prepped for an airlift to an Ottawa hospital. 

Here is where things start to go sideways. It seems the team that was transporting her did not have the proper training nor the proper equipment that was needed to get her to the airlift. They were unable to install an arterial line used to monitor her blood pressure, she was not given a "high-alert" drug that she needed, and no one knew how to use the IV pump to deliver the other medications that she needed. 

After she passed, the medical examiner of the province decided that an inquiry was not needed. On March 16, 2022, the leader of the opposition party stood (Wab Kinew, NDP) in their provincial legislature during the question period and requested that an inquest occurs due to the questions the family still had, and to address the systemic failings to ensure that no one else is let down in the same fashion.

After the member stood, the premier (Heather Stefanson, PC) stood, seemingly to respond to the request. Instead, she used her time to talk about how proud she was that her son's hockey team had won a big game. She used all of her speaking time, almost to the second to talk about this game and her son. No time was given, not even regret as to the series of events that killed Krystal. 

I'm sure there are some other political things at play here. There always is. Krystal and her family deserve better. The people of Manitoba deserve better.

When events like this occur, it reminds me of the importance of paying attention to the government all the time, not just when an election is afoot and everyone is on their best behavior.

Music Corner

There are many artists, especially Canadian that I don't think get the recognition that they deserve. Buffy Sainte-Marie is near the top of that list. I chose her song The Circle Game, 

which she sang with the band Fire & Fleet & Candlelight in July 1967. 

So you might have me on a technicality here. Joni Mitchell wrote the song, and it was originally performed by Ian and Sylvia in April 1967. At least they're all Canadian. 

Joni Mitchell wrote the song in response to the Neil Young song Sugar Mountain. In Sugar Mountain, Young seems to mourn his lost youth. With The Circle Game, she teaches that life is a series of circles that all lives follow. 

Shopping Corner

 

The Reason you Walk - I read and recommend this book. It is Wab Kinew's autobiography. 

Buffy Sainte-Marie - Authorized Biography

Circle Game - The Book