Questions, concerns raised over student deaths

Questions are being raised about seven Nishnawbe Aski Nation high school students who died since 2000 while attending school in Thunder Bay.
“Why should someone so young, who was just trying to fulfill his dreams, end up losing his life?” said Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse about Webequie’s Jordan Wabasse. “The fact that this is the seventh young life lost, under similar circumstances, is beyond unacceptable. It makes me question: why isn’t there more outrage from governments and from Canadians in general, over these deaths?”
Wabasse’s body was discovered May 10 in the Kaministiquia River in Thunder Bay. He went missing on the evening of Feb. 7 after getting off a city bus near his boarding house. The 15-year-old Grade 9 Matawa Learning Centre student and award-winning midget B hockey goalie was the sixth high school student from NAN communities to be found deceased in a river in Thunder Bay. The seventh death was allegedly alcohol-related.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton asked the provincial government what action it has undertaken over the missing students the day before Wabasse’s body was discovered, suggesting that if seven high school students disappeared in London or Hamilton, there would be a different reaction.
“Can the minister explain how seven teenage citizens of Ontario can disappear in a city like Thunder Bay and there’s no reaction from this government,” Hampton said May 9.
After Wabasse’s body was found, Hampton brought up the issue again on May 12 during question period.
“Sadly, Jordan is now the seventh First Nations high school student, attending high school in Thunder Bay, to disappear and die over the last 10 years,” Hampton said. “When I asked you about this issue three days ago, you said, ‘ … an inquest is under way up north with respect to the deaths.’ Minister, the inquest you referred to was to get under way in June 2009. It is now almost June 2011. Two years later, young First Nations students are still disappearing and still dying. How do you explain the two years of inactivity on the part of your government?”
A Ministry of the Attorney General spokesman said in an e-mail message that the Reggie Bushie case is now back with the coroner to proceed with the inquest. Bushie was the fifth student to die in Thunder Bay. He was found deceased in the McIntyre River in Thunder Bay as was Kyle Morriseau, the sixth student to perish while in Thunder Bay seeking a high school diploma.
“It is important that the coroner’s process be able to move forward so we can all get some answers,” said Brendan Crawley, communications branch with the Ministry of the Attorney General. “Just to be clear, the issue of whether there would be a further appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada has now been resolved.”
A spokeswoman for the Office of the Chief Coroner said itt had not yet determined the dates, venue or any details of the inquest as of May 19.
“It fell off the rails because of the legal challenge and now we have to get it back on the rails,” said Cheryl Mahyr, issues manager with the Office of the Chief Coroner. “I don’t know when it will be happening but when we do know we will be issuing a news release.”
NAN and the families of Bushie and Jacy Pierre won a landmark Court of Appeals case March 10 recognizing their right to conduct inquiries into the validity of the juries formed in coroner’s inquests into the deaths of their loved ones.
National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo said education should be a tool that empowers First Nations people.
“We cannot lose any more youth this way,” Atleo said. “Our young people deserve the same support, protection and care as other children.”
Toulouse asked how many more First Nations children have to be lost before First Nation issues are taken seriously and are given the attention they deserve.
“The deaths, or disappearances, of our most vulnerable citizens – because they occur so often – have become acceptable in this society,” Toulouse said. “This is the frustrating and scary reality we continue to face.”