The death of a 21-year-old mother in Turnor Lake is leading to renewed calls for more policing and frontline resources in northern Saskatchewan. RCMP say officers were called to a home in Turnor Lake May 8, after receiving a report of an injured woman in the community about 590 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon. Shalayah Montgrand was declared dead at the scene, and a man was arrested outside the home, according to RCMP. Twenty-five-year-old Darian Montgrand now faces five charges, including manslaughter. RCMP said it could not provide details on the relationship between the accused and the victim. Following the death, Birch Narrows Dene Nation Chief Jonathon Sylvestre, whose community neighbours Turnor Lake, joined the NDP in renewing calls for more policing and frontline resources in northern communities. “We have repeatedly raised concerns about addictions, mental health and public safety in the north,” Sylvestre said at an NDP news conference Monday. “There have been times when we had extremely limited police presence in our communities.” Leroy Laliberte, the NDP’s First Nations and Métis Relations critic, echoed those concerns. “For years, northern leaders have also been promised community safety officers and additional supports, and those promises still have not been materialized,” Laliberte said. Michael Weger, minister of community safety, said there’s a community safety officer position in the area, but it’s currently vacant. “They did have an individual hired, [but] they became injured and so now it’s a matter of the First Nation finding another candidate,” Weger told reporters Monday. He added the government is open to exploring additional options. “Our government’s very willing to work with the RCMP, Public Safety Canada and our First Nations partners to see what other opportunities are available,” he said. On social media, Shalayah Montgrand’s loved ones remembered her as sweet, charismatic and having a big heart. Darian Montgrand’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 1 in La Loche.
