The inquest that begins Monday into the loss of life seven years in the past of a First Nations woman in northwestern Ontario is anticipated to look at the challenges of offering well being care in distant communities.
Ruthann Quequish, 31, who was coping with problems from diabetes, handed away on April 1, 2017, at her dwelling in Kingfisher Lake First Nation after attending her neighborhood’s nursing station within the hours and days previous her loss of life.
Fewer than 600 folks stay within the distant Oji-Cree neighborhood, about 350 kilometres northeast of Sioux Lookout, which is a part of Treaty 9.
“Ruthann was a really stunning individual and a much-loved daughter, sister and mom. Her household desperately advocated for her to obtain medical care, and miss her on daily basis,” Jordan Quequish, Ruthann’s brother, stated in a written assertion to Ontario Chronicle.
The inquest, being held in Thunder Bay, was first delayed in April 2023 after which anticipated to be held that November earlier than being pushed once more to 2024.
Julia Noonan, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor Normal, stated in an e mail to Ontario Chronicle causes for the delays embrace the COVID-19 pandemic, and time wanted to retain an knowledgeable to evaluation investigative supplies and determine potential points regarding Quequish’s loss of life.
“The inquest was most lately delayed in response to a request from household and neighborhood,” Noonan stated.
Generally, if you cross over between the provincial and the federal accountability of well being care, folks fall by means of the cracks.- Sol Mamakwa, Kiiwetinoong MPP
Dr. Michael Wilson would be the presiding officer on the inquest.
The jury can be tasked with answering 5 questions: figuring out who died, when and the place they died, their medical explanation for loss of life, and by what means they died — which is assessed as both pure causes, accident, murder, suicide or undetermined.
Jurors may make suggestions to stop comparable deaths.
“This can be a discretionary inquest that was referred to as and I feel from that perspective, it demonstrates that there’s an necessary public curiosity on this inquest,” stated Kate Overlook, a member of Matachewan First Nation.
Overlook and colleague Carolyn Leach are serving as inquest counsel with the Indigenous justice division of Ontario’s Ministry of the Lawyer Normal.
Kate Overlook and Carolyn Leach, left to proper, are legal professionals with the Ministry of the Lawyer Normal’s Indigenous justice division. They’re serving as inquest counsel for the inquest for Ruthann Quequish, 31, of Kingfisher Lake First Nation that begins Monday. (Submitted by Kate Overlook)
“Inquests are actually necessary from a loss of life prevention perspective and likewise from a truth-seeking perspective, in order that hopefully the household and neighborhood will get solutions to questions that they could have had for years,” Overlook stated.
The method additionally serves to teach the general public about systemic points and “how we will make enhancements to the system so that there is equitable well being care supplied to First Nations communities,” she added.
Emily Hill and Caitlyn Kasper of Aboriginal Authorized Companies are representing the Quequish household in the course of the proceedings; Edwards Bell Jewitt LLP is representing Kingfisher Lake First Nation and Shibogama First Nations Council.
‘Tylenol nursing stations’ not assembly wants
Quequish died of diabetic ketoacidosis, stated Overlook.
The life-threatening situation develops when the physique cannot produce sufficient insulin, which helps flip sugar into power. Inadequate insulin leads to the physique breaking down fats as gasoline, inflicting a buildup of acids (ketones) within the bloodstream. Monitoring blood sugar ranges is necessary for folks with diabetes. Signs of ketoacidosis can embrace extreme thirst, frequent urination, tiredness, feeling weak, shortness of breath and being confused.
The inquest is anticipated to listen to from witnesses together with household, neighborhood members, and medical doctors and nurses concerned in Quequish’s care. The jury may also be educated about northern well being care extra broadly.
Numerous key themes are anticipated to emerge, Overlook stated, together with:
Interactions inside nursing stations, together with physicians supervising nurses. The availability of medical companies in nursing stations and distant First Nations, with a concentrate on sufferers who’ve diabetes and a number of medical considerations. Coaching supplied to workers at nursing stations. Medical testing websites. How provincial and federal entities, like nursing stations and hospitals, talk with one another. 
Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa, proven at Queen’s Park in Toronto in Could, says the shortage of health-care entry in First Nations in northern Ontario is leading to pointless deaths and struggling. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa, who’s from Kingfisher Lake First Nation, is aware of the Quequish household and stated he acknowledges the subsequent few weeks can be troublesome for them.
Mamakwa describes the “Tylenol nursing stations” in northern communities — that means workers there are solely geared up with primary medication and provides — as locations the place nurses do not at all times have the coaching or sources to fulfill sufferers’ wants.
Physicians journey to Kingfisher Lake solely 5 occasions a month, or 60 days a yr, Mamakwa stated. They liable for requesting medical evacuations in First Nations, which is troublesome if they are not in the neighborhood on the time of an emergency, he added.
Mamakwa desires new nursing stations in smaller First Nations, satellite hospitals in bigger northern communities and health-care programs led by First Nations themselves.
“Generally, if you cross over between the provincial and the federal accountability of well being care, folks fall by means of the cracks,” he stated.
“We can not proceed to have these unnecessary deaths and pointless struggling, and we see it on a regular basis within the fly-in First Nations particularly.”
The ability of the jury
Overlook, who has been concerned in various inquests, stated she at all times commends jurors for navigating the troublesome activity forward of them.
“The jury is sitting there volunteering their time, typically for weeks on finish, to additionally study these actually troublesome details, and on the finish, they’re those that make the final word selections,” she stated.
“They, by means of their suggestions, converse to society they usually converse to governments and entities about how they will make enhancements in order that we do not find yourself having extra inquests.”
The Swanson Mekanak Memorial Well being Centre is the one nursing station in Kingfisher Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario. (Submitted by Esther Sakakeep)
Final spring, an inquest into the loss of life of Oji-Cree Woodlands artist Moses Beaver of Nibinamik First Nation ended with 63 suggestions from the jury that targeted on enhancing psychological well being take care of Indigenous folks.
Though jurors cannot make any findings of obligation or assign blame to anybody, their position should not be understated, stated Leach.
“There are suggestions which have emanated from inquests which have led to essentially profound coverage change,” Leach stated. “That’s heartening to see — incremental, though, it might be at occasions.”
The Quequish household shared their hopes for what the inquest achieves, referencing the duties owed to First Nations by the federal authorities.
“As a household, now we have waited a very long time for this inquest. We firmly imagine that [Ruthann’s] explanation for loss of life was preventable and we hope that we get solutions to our questions on why this occurred,” Jordan stated.
“Guarantees that had been made within the treaties included that the primary peoples of this land would obtain good well being care. They haven’t. We wish the inquest to lead to suggestions to enhance entry to well being care in our neighborhood and to stop tragedies like this sooner or later.”
Quequish’s inquest can be held at 189 Crimson River Rd. The proceedings may also be streamed on-line in each English and in Oji-Cree.
