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The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations marked 15 years since the release of the inquiry into Neil Stonechild’s death Wednesday.
The press conference, held at FSIN’s headquarters in Saskatoon, outlined the events of the death, as well as gave an update into the province’s work into finding a solution with police inquiries.
Vice-Chief Dutch Lerat said FSIN has had discussions with the province to talk about what’s next with oversight authorities. They hope to have a formal meeting with the provincial cabinet by Christmas.
“We look forward to moving that issue along. That is a priority for us,” Lerat said.
Saskatchewan remains the only Canadian jurisdiction without an independent civilian-led oversight authority to investigate allegations where a person suffered serious injury or died interacting with, or under police watch. Lerat was confident that there would be a new authority in the near future.
“I’m very confident that it will happen, and that timing is a work in progress with our provincial counterparts, and of course, our national police body as well,” he said.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said currently, talks with Saskatchewan police forces have improved over the years, but they need to continue.
“There is room for improvement, but that’s what we’re here to state and to continue to work with (Saskatoon Police Chief) Troy Cooper and his staff,” Cameron said. “First Nation positions and perspective are paramount to ensure these types of tragedies don’t happen again.”
At the time of the release of the Stonechild inquiry, Lawrence Joseph was the FSIN chief. He said First Nations people continue to heal, and work still needs to continue to ensure these incidents don’t happen in the future.
“When these things started to occur, where frozen bodies were found in and around Saskatoon under questionable circumstances, we were put under extreme pressure by the Chiefs of Saskatchewan,” Joseph said.
“There’s still some filth and crud out there from certain members of police agencies. Under treaty, we were promised that the red coats will protect us, and that means we will get protection from the police agencies either municipal, or federal.”
Fifteen years since the inquiry, though, Joseph is proud of one result that came from it.
“We are saying, gladly, that there has not been one single questionable frozen body death in and around Saskatchewan, anywhere …,” he said. “That’s success when we pull together and work together.”
Stonechild’s body was found on Nov. 29, 1990. The death initially was ruled accidental, but the inquiry found the teenager was in police custody five days prior to being found frozen in Saskatoon’s north industrial area.