'He had a strong voice': Sask. prisoner advocate Cory Cardinal dead at 38
Well-known prisoner advocate Cory Cardinal has died at the age of 38.
Cardinal was known to fight for prisoners' rights and for exposing prison conditions in the province.
He had made his presence even more known during the COVID-19 pandemic by flagging overcrowding and fighting for those who had a compromised immune system.
Cardinal ran a group called Inmates for Humane Conditions that helps connect inmates with resources.
His death was confirmed by a colleague. The cause of his death is suspected to be an overdose with no foul play.
Sherri Maier, founder of Beyond Prison Walls Canada, says it was a "shock" when she heard the news.
"He was really influential in doing things, getting those Skype visits for inmates, especially in Saskatoon," she told CTV News.
In February, Cardinal went on a hunger strike to support women in the Pine Grove Correctional Centre in Prince Albert.
Maier says he went on six or seven hunger strikes and even went 21 days for one of them.
She says he'll be remembered for his advocacy, his poetry and having a strong voice for prisoners' rights.
"I always say the more people that stand together the stronger that we become. But I mean him alone, just himself, is influential," Maier adds.
"You look at any of his poetry and stuff he is published in a lot of places and i think that's what he will be remembered by. It's a huge loss for all the advocates."
An investigation into his death is underway, according to Maier.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.