First Nations Student Deaths Inquest
A joint inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students is running Thunder Bay, Ont. All of the students died between 2000 and 2011 while attending high school in the city, hundreds of kilometres away from their remote First Nations where access to education is limited.
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
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Albert 'I've never done it, but it's done all the time' 3/3 #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:52:05 PM
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Albert: 'Find a 14 or 15 yr old, you'll make 10 bucks' buying booze for them. 'It's done all the time in #tbay ' 2/3 #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:51:02 PM
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Albert explains how students get alcohol: 'If you want to make a fast buck, just stand outside the liquor store' 1/3 #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:49:50 PM
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NishnawbeAski Nation lawyer Meaghan Daniel asks Albert if he had heard abt deaths of Jethro Anderson or Curran Strang. Albert:no #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:40:13 PM
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Deborah Elliott, the boarding home parent with whom Albert lived shushed by lawyers as she tries to answer Albert's questions #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:37:12 PM
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Albert says the whole night was 'the baffle' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:32:56 PM
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Albert mixes up Reggie and Ricky's names today, says he may have mixed them up in talking to school, police abt who was missing #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:31:54 PM
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Albert says he was aware that Phil Strang went out that night to look for Reggie, felt it was ok b/c 'he was a reliable kid' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:29:29 PM
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'I did his laundry because I didn't want his clothes smelling up the place,' Albert says of Ricky's wet clothes #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:27:13 PM
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Albert says Ricky's cousin Phil, a student who also lived at the house, helped clean Ricky up and put him to bed. #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:25:56 PM
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Albert says he didn't believe Ricky and asked again why he was wet: 'He wouldn't answer - too intoxicated' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:25:00 PM
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Reggie wasn't with RIcky when he got home, Albert says. 'I asked him why he was wet, he said he fell in a ditch' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:23:24 PM
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Ricky Strang came home late that night 'intoxicated, soaking wet and dirty', Albert says #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:22:26 PM
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Albert says he kept scraps of paper in his room to help him in 'trying to figure out what happened.' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:15:31 PM
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'I wasn't actually responsible [for the students]," Albert says. 'But I was there to help if something went wrong' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:06:41 PM
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Albert can't remember when Reggie moved into the house, he also struggles to remember Reggie's name #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:03:49 PM
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First witness is Raymond Albert. He was a boarder at the boarding house where Reggie Bushie lived in 2007 #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 3:02:05 PM
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I'm back at the inquest for Thursday's testimony. There's a delay in getting started #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/26/2015 2:27:08 PM
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Presiding coroner thanks Owen for her testimony. Inquest breaks for lunch. #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 5:36:25 PM
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Lawyer for police asks Owen if she contacted #tbay police after she found out Reggie was missing. Owen: No, I don't remember. #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 5:31:39 PM
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The last time Owen spoke to Reggie by phone it was the day before he went missing, + he said he was having a good time in #tbay #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 5:24:05 PM
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Owen says she was never asked about what Reggie's needs would be at a boarding home in the city #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 5:07:23 PM
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Owen says she was concerned about what would happen with Reggie's drinking when he came to Thunder Bay #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 5:03:04 PM
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Owen says Reggie experimented with homebrew but she doesn't know how often. #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 5:01:24 PM
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Responding to lawyer's questions, Owen says Poplar Hill is a 'dry' reserve, no alcohol allowed but some people make home brew. #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:59:55 PM
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Owen says she doesn't remember hearing from any officials, school, police, or coroner's office after Reggie was found dead #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:55:59 PM
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'We loved him and really cared for him. We did not want him to leave," Owen says of Reggie having to come to #tbay for school #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:48:50 PM
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Jury excused, inquest on break while Owen given a chance to recover herself #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:35:55 PM
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Reggie was excited about coming to city for school but 'I didn't want to let him go,' Owen says, tears streaming down her face. #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:34:00 PM
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Owen says brothers Ricky and Reggie spent a lot of time together and got along well as children #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:30:17 PM
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Owen is also testifying through a translator #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:26:12 PM
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Next witness is Mary Owen, Reggie Bushie's aunt, who raised him #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:24:00 PM
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Presiding coroner Dr. Eden: I give my condolences to the family and thank Rhoda for coming here today and sharing her story #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:06:06 PM
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Lawyer asks if Rhoda spoke to her son Ricky about what happened when he was with Reggie that night. 'No I have not been able to' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 4:02:32 PM
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Rhoda says she had a lot of questions about how Reggie died, 'I could not ask. I just couldn't ask. I just couldn't do it.' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:55:12 PM
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Rhoda says she doesn't remember that call but agrees with lawyer that it's possible that it happened + she forgot it 2/2 #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:41:28 PM
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Police lawyer asks if Rhoda remembers call from police officer using interpreter 4 days after Reggie went missing. 1/2 #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:40:30 PM
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Rhoda says she talked to Reggie on the phone, found out he was making new friends + on the boys volleyball team at school #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:34:48 PM
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Etienne Esquega is only Indigenous lawyer here. He introduces himself, translator says says 'I'm sorry I cannot say your name.' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:29:45 PM
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Rhoda's youngest son is 14 yrs old now and is at Pelican Falls high school near Sioux Lkt. 'He's happy with it,' she says #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:11:06 PM
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Rhoda says she doesn't remember the Thunder Bay police talking to her around the time that her son was missing or found dead #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:09:32 PM
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Rhoda says the news that Reggie was found was given to the chief of Poplar Hill and he told her #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:08:26 PM
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About 2 days later, Rhoda says she came to #tbay . 'Shortly after I got here, someone came + said they found him.' #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:06:34 PM
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Reggie went missing on Friday Oct. 26, 2007. Rhoda says she was told on Monday via a late-night phone call from a friend #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:03:57 PM
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Reggie was 15, it was his first time in the city #tbinquestby Jody Porter via twitter 11/24/2015 3:01:27 PM