CANADA

Content warning: part two of this series includes mentions of Indigenous trauma, residential schools and the 60s scoop.

Through the stories of four young Canadians from completely different walks of life—yet who all met the same devastating fate, we explore how Canada got itself into the mess that is the opioid crisis.

Sophie Breen, Seth MacLean, Skye Crassweller and Morgan Goodridge were among the almost 40,000 Canadians who have died of toxic drug poisoning since 2016. Most of those deaths were accidental, caused by street drugs contaminated with deadly illegal fentanyl.

In this series, we learn what their families are saying about the current response to the opioid crisis, as we explore answers to urgent questions:

How do we stop the steadily rising drug poisoning deaths?
And why are so many Canadians seeking oblivion to escape from their pain in the first place?

Resources for those affected by the Opioid Crisis:

More info:

SOPHIE BREEN:

Our family member died of a fentanyl overdose. We don’t think the man who supplied the drugs should go to prison by Mary Fairhurst Breen and Emma Feltes, Globe & Mail
Any Kind of Luck at All a memoir by Mary Fairhurst Breen

SETH MACLEAN:

Seth MacLean died in July. Authorities buried him weeks later without telling his family by John Lancaster, CBC news

SKYE CRASSWELLER:

Change needed after funny, smart Indigenous girl died on 17th birthday: Report by Lori Culbert, Vancouver Sun
Read the report: Skye’s Legacy: A focus on belonging - Office of the Representative for Children and Youth

MORGAN GOODRIDGE:

After her son died of an overdose, this woman wants to fight opioid crisis with urgency of COVID-19, no byline, CBC Radio

OTHER:

I was Stephen Harper’s criminal justice adviser. But I now think Canada should decriminalize drugs by Benjamin Perrin, Globe & Mail
Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada's Opioid Crisis by Benjamin Perrin
Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial by Benjamin Perrin

Canadian True Crime donates monthly to help those facing injustice.

In honour of August 31, International Overdose Awareness day, we’ve donated to Moms Stop the Harm. This is a network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths who advocate for the change of failed drug policies, provide peer support to grieving families, and assist those with loved ones who use or have used substances.

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Credits:

Special thanks to the families of Sophie Breen, Seth MacLean and Morgan Goodridge.

Original concept, case selection, research: Shelby Prokop-Millar
Lead writer and producer, additional research: Mary Fairhurst Breen
Content advisor - Indigenous issues: Dani Paradis
Script Consultant: Carol Weinberg
Additional research and writing, creative direction, narration, sound design: Kristi Lee
Audio editing: Nico from The Inky Pawprint
Production assistance: Jesse from Inky Pawprint
Disclaimer voiced by Erik Krosby