Kevin Mamakwa shared with his sister Julie Meekis that he was experiencing withdrawal while at the Thunder Bay Jail, an inquest jury learned on Wednesday.
A coroner’s inquest into the death of the 27-year-old from Kingfisher Lake First Nation, who is also the nephew of Kiiwetinoong NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa, started on Monday. Kevin Mamakwa passed away at Thunder Bay Jail on June 2, 2020.
The jury has been informed that Kevin faced trauma and battled depression. He was receiving suboxone, a treatment for opioid use disorder.
Dr. Leonora Regenstreif, an adjunct assistant clinical professor at Mc Master University’s family medicine department in Hamilton, provided testimony about symptoms related to opioid withdrawal.
On May 14, 2020, Kevin received four doses of suboxone from a pharmacy, which would have lasted until four days later. He was taken into custody on May 28, 2020 and died just days after.
It remains unclear if he used any substances between his visit to the pharmacy and when he entered Thunder Bay Jail.
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Kevin Mamakwa is seen playing on Kingfisher Lake First Nation’s men’s hockey team. (Submitted by Sol Mamakwa)
Regenstreif explained that withdrawal symptoms may start three to five days after a person’s last dose of methadone or buprenorphine, which is found in suboxone.
“Withdrawal from suboxone, from what I hear from patients, tends to be worse at three to five days. It can go on for a couple of weeks,” Regenstreif stated.
“They could have insomnia for quite a while afterwards and maybe just not feel great.”
Although Kevin reported having insomnia, Regenstreif noted it’s difficult to clearly link his symptoms directly to withdrawal.
<p“When I began working in correctional facilities in 2017, there was a lot of stigma among health-care providers regarding suboxone,” she told the jury.
“It was very common for people to experience what we call forced withdrawal. So for me personally, early on it was shocking that it didn’t meet what we call equivalency – meaning that individuals in corrections weren’t receiving equivalent care compared to those outside.”
Since then, policy changes have been implemented to enhance access to opioid agonist therapy within correctional environments, according to Regenstreif. “It gives us great hope that we’re gonna do a better job going forward for people when they’re in custody.”
The Jail Recognized as Heritage Property
Thunder Bay Jail superintendent Rylan Forrest discussed the intake procedures at the facility along with forms and policies relevant to Kevin Mamakwa’s case during his testimony.
He also addressed operational challenges faced by the facility in 2020 amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Thunder Bay Jail was recognized as a heritage property by the City of Thunder Bay in 2009. (Sarah Law/CBC)
Since Kevin’s death, Forrest mentioned improvements made regarding sight lines and security cameras aimed at enhancing monitoring capabilities. When questioned about whether emergency call buttons could be installed inside cells for inmates’ use, he indicated that’s beyond his authority.
The Thunder Bay Jail has been under scrutiny due its poor living conditions and issues related to being an aging structure since it opened in 1926.
The City of Thunder Bay designated the jail as a heritage property back in 2009 which restricts modifications allowed on the building.LISTEN | Christina Wakefield: New Heritage Buildings:
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The City of Thunder Bay might soon add five new properties as official heritage buildings. We learn more about this designation and its implications from City archivist and chief heritage resource officer Christina Wakefield.
For potential renovations aimed at addressing overcrowding or creating extra programming or living space “would be very challenging and would involve other ministries,” Forrest explained.
“The Thunder Bay Jail on Mac Dougall Street is owned by the province and formally designated at that level so all renovations are managed by the Ministry of Infrastructure. From a municipal standpoint it’s listed but not officially designated,” Christina Wakefield told via email Thursday.
“Typically speaking The Ministry of Infrastructure has various controls set up for preserving heritage aspects across its properties.”
Both The Thunder Bay Jail and The Thunder Bay Correctional Centre will continue operations even after construction wraps up at The new Thunder Bay Correctional Complex.
The $1.2 billion facility located along Highway 61 will feature 462 beds; provincial authorities anticipate opening it next year.
The jury has been informed that more details about this new Complex should surface later during these proceedings which are being streamed online with English audio alongside Oji-Cree translation.
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