JSCN leadership prepares for public inquest

And while acknowledging the inquest may provide a degree of closure to some families, Chief Sanderson noted the pain and trauma many people are dealing with runs very deep.

“Maybe every Christmas or every Thanksgiving, whenever they are at a special gathering, there is always going to be an empty seat,” he said.

Over the course of the past year and even this week in the final days before the inquest, a number of cultural supports have been provided within the grief stricken community including horse and sun dance ceremonies, sweat lodges, and a musical ride with the RCMP.

Despite some very wet and stormy conditions, last July’s musical ride was deemed a huge success. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

While also noting the support and prayers that continue to come in from all over the country, Chief Wally Burns said he takes some comfort knowing the people who passed have moved on to the next camp.

“And we all know the next camp is all filled with good people,” he said.

With respect to his own personal questions and hopes surrounding the inquest, Chief Burns explained considerable thought needs to be given to the impact from residential schools, noting many of their community members are dealing with the trauma passed down through generations. He added it’s also important to consider what he called the systematic racism that exists in both the justice system and the RCMP.

“The RCMP, in general, they failed us and the justice system too as well failed us too so we all have to work together on a good perspective that’s gonna change something that is broken and I think Canada is waiting for our response,” he said.

Peter Chapman First Nation Chief Robert Head stated their local community’s security team has had tremendous success in the past year and has even become a model for other first nations across Canada. And noting the work that continues federally on Indigenous led policing, Head anticipates the legislation will only help to to improve their own security.

“That’s something we will look forward to in the future. But in the meantime our system is operating in a good way and we’re hoping other communities will look to us and adopt our system and the future will be safer for our people,” he said.

In November, 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau paid a visit to the community and announced a $60 million commitment by the federal government towards a new wellness centre at James Smith Cree Nation. Chief Sanderson confirmed a committee has been meeting regularly and that an operational plan has been submitted to the federal government.

Following the first discretionary inquest, a second inquest starting February 26 in Saskatoon will look into how Myles Sanderson – the man who did the killings – came to die in the backseat of an RCMP cruiser. That inquest is expected to wrap up by March 1.

RCMP announced the results of their investigation into the chain of events at the end of April. No details of how Sanderson came to die were released, although paNOW received information from a confidential source that Myles overdosed on drugs.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

JSCN leadership prepares for public inquest

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