'My heart goes out to you,' B.C. Premier Christy Clark writes to grieving mom
Veronica Staddon's daughter Gwynevere, 16, died from fentanyl overdose last month
The mother of one of the youngest victims in B.C.'s fentanyl crisis says Premier Christy Clark has reached out to her with a promise to improve access to addiction treatment.
"I wasn't actually surprised to get that letter because I think her and I have a connection as mothers," said Veronica Staddon, whose 16-year-old daughter Gwynevere died Aug. 7, from a suspected fentanyl overdose.
[Clark] is not as hard as people think.— Veronica Staddon
Clark wrote: "My heart goes out to you… I can only imagine how difficult this has been for you."
In the letter Clark promises her task force will expand access to addiction treatment.
"I can promise you that your concern about waiting lists for Gwynevere and the many others who have been struggling just like her, and the costs for treatment as well will be included in those discussions."
Staddon has said in the months before her daughter's death, Gwynevere went to detox, took the anti-addiction medication suboxone but could not find a rehab facility that would treat her.
"I found beds that I could pay a lot of money for" said Staddon, who did not have the $50,000 to pay the one facility willing to take Gwynevere.
No stranger to Clark
Long before Clark became premier, she used to take her son to Staddon's barbershop in Port Moody.
"That's how I saw her as a mother and a part of society rather than a political leader because that's how I first met her," said Staddon who only recently opened the Aug. 31 letter from Clark.
The premier is about to fall short of her campaign promise to create 500 new addiction beds by 2017, but Staddon is hopeful she will keep the promise made to her in the letter.
"I pray for the kids out there that that's true," said Staddon, who says she is only speaking publicly because she believes her daughter would want her to try and help others struggling with addiction.
A photo of Clark and Staddon was taken on a campaign stop at Staddon's barbershop during the last election.
"She cut my son's hair. It wasn't a political thing. It was a day-to-day, living life," said Clark in a recent interview with CBC News.
"Her loss and the loss of any other parent, I think all of us feel very deeply when we look at our own children because we all love our kids so much," said Clark.
Staddon said she believes the premier's intentions are genuine.
"She is kinder, she is not as hard as people think she is."
"I think when you know someone personally like her and I know each other, we've chatted many times. It's different than thinking its someone else's kid that you don't know," said Staddon.
Not impressed with task force
But Staddon is not impressed with Clark's task force so far.
On Wednesday the province launched an awareness campaign that began with a three-minute video on YouTube featuring a grieving parent.
Staddon said that is not the best way to reach young drug users at risk of overdosing on fentanyl.
"They need something to be short and sweet and to the point but still they're not going to listen," said Staddon, who believes the videos are a waste of time.
Staddon admits she is still struggling, six weeks after her daughter's death.
"It's not fun to be around people because when I cry I cry out loud," said Staddon, who has not yet returned to work.
She says she hates that her daughter is now a statistic — one of the 49 people who died of an overdose in August, according to the latest numbers from the BC Coroner's Service.
