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New lieutenant governor makes Tisdale stop to celebrate emergency services

TISDALE — Saskatchewan’s new lieutenant governor visited Tisdale to celebrate the work of local emergency services at the official Tisdale Emergency Services Gala.
lieutenant governor Russell Mirasty
Russell Mirasty, Saskatchewan’s lieutenant governor, toasted the fallen emergency services personnel who died in active duty, during the Tisdale Emergency Services Gala on Oct. 5. Photo by Jessica R. Durling

TISDALE — Saskatchewan’s new lieutenant governor visited Tisdale to celebrate the work of local emergency services at the official Tisdale Emergency Services Gala.

Russell Mirasty was appointed to the role July 17, following the death of the previous lieutenant governor, William Molloy.

The last time Mirasty was personally in the region was while he was a commanding officer with the RCMP, six or seven years ago.

“It’s always nice to come back to communities I’ve visited in the past, for sure,” Mirasty said. “These are thriving communities and it’s nice to see some activities in the fields with farmers.”

He said that coming to the gala, it “really hits home” for him with his experience as a former police officer.

“We work collectively, all emergency services personnel, people who provide services every day I want to recognize.”

Before the gala began, Mirasty gave a speech to the Tisdale #624 Royal Air Cadet Squadron.

“As I was telling the cadets here, nobody plans to be a lieutenant governor, but the work that I did was recognized, hence I was offered the position. But when I go to meet people at the community level, it really brings things at the forefront to me why I accepted the role.”

Mirasty said that he wants emergency services personnel to know that he personally supports them and hopes they remain safe in the field.

“I hope as well the community at large appreciates the work that they do and how they put themselves out there to do the work they do and make sure the communities are safe.”

The gala took place on Oct. 5.

Other guest speakers at the event included Al Jellicoe, mayor of Tisdale; Kelly Prime, president of the Paramedic Services Chiefs of Saskatchewan; Assistant Commissioner Mark Fisher, the commanding officer of the RCMP’s F Division; Duane McKay, vice president and commissioner with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency; and Jenna Holt, co-ordinator with the North East Regional Victim Services.

Cpl. Mike Benjamin with the Tisdale RCMP, led a toast to all the emergency service personnel who died in the line of duty, leaving a decorated but empty table for them.

“Truly we never been alone,” Benjamin said, before beginning the toast. “We talk about the thin blue line [representing police]; we talk about the thin red line [representing firefighters] – but at the end of the day when that call comes in and we have to go into the valley there is the blue line which is reinforced by the red line, and behind those lines are all of you.

“The support we’ve gotten from the community is incredible. The support I’ve gotten since I came here from Battleford, I was amazed at how friendly and open the community was.”