Juries are an important part of the process to determine justice in an inquest, and are composed of ordinary people from the local population.
“It wasn’t perfect, it was practical,” in the words of a relative of a victim following the recommendations of the James Smith Cree Nation inquest.
On Sept. 4, 2022, Myles Sanderson killed 10 people from the community and one from the nearby town of Weldon. In addition, 17 individuals were wounded, some seriously.
The jury comprised of six members, three from the community and three from the local area, made 29 recommendations. It’s obvious that the jury had done its work and made recommendations across the spectrum of agencies that were involved on that fateful day.
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Of the 29 recommendations, 14 were presented by the jury and an additional 15 were provided by the coroner, Blaine Bevan.
In Canada, juries are an important part of the process to determine justice. They are composed of ordinary people selected from the local population. Often, they are called upon to provide important direction in complicated and serious cases.
The jury in the James Smith inquest rose to the occasion and made 29 recommendations that involved agencies both within the First Nation and outside. The jurors’ job was to determine details of death and make recommendations to prevent a similar event in the future.
Once they presented their findings, they were dismissed and their anonymity was assured.
In Canada juries have different protections than those in the United States. In the U.S., jurors can freely speak to the media and even write books about their experience. We see this on the news after high-profile trials and many Canadians think the same process exists north of the border.
In Canada, jury members maintain a lower profile and they are prohibited from discussing deliberations.
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The province’s chief coroner, former Saskatoon police chief Clive Weighill, played an important role by meeting with members of the community before the inquest began. His purpose was to support the community and prepare them for the graphic details that would emerge during the inquest.
“The objective is to have the story told, honour those victims that died on that day and try to come up with some recommendations that will help prevent this from happening again in the future,” he stated before the inquest began.
For the community, the process brought healing. Community members had to relive the terrible events of Sept. 4.
Several community members were given standing and allowed to question the witnesses. This process allowed some light to be shed on the community’s concerns, creating more understanding among all those involved.
The 29 recommendations covered the failure and shortcomings with all agencies involved. And while no agency was immune, none was singled out as the single cause.
The recommendations addressed the RCMP, the Correctional Service of Canada, the Ministry of Public Safety and the three band councils that make up the James Smith leadership.
The recommendations included RCMP communication with the James Smith leadership, specifying quarterly meetings to share information. One recommendation urged the RCMP to contact leaders of a First Nation about a suspect’s wanted status if that person is affiliated with or is a member of a First Nation.
The leadership of the James Smith Cree Nation has requested funds and support for the development of their own police force. The recommendations include a statement that the James Smith Cree Nation follow through on their process of establishing a police force.
Followup and action are needed. This process is not over after the coroner and the media pack up and leave town. All the parties mentioned in the recommendations will have to file a report and state what action they are taking in response.
For the community, the grieving process will continue. For many it will never end. It may fade in the face of other priorities, but it will never disappear. It will remain beneath the surface.
This is the cruel reality of a tragedy like this. We have a wide network of friends and relations, and we share the pain. The drug epidemic reaches across Canada in both First Nations and other communities. We must all be vigilant that the tragedy at James Smith is never repeated.
Doug Cuthand is the Indigenous affairs columnist for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Regina Leader-Post. He is a member of the Little Pine First Nation.
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