Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
On this National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a recent investigation into the death of a 32-year-old Indigenous man is a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice that continues to elude the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nations.
Joshua Kelly died earlier this month after paramedics parked their ambulance on the outskirts of the reserve in Northern Ontario instead of entering the home to provide medical care to the man, who had lost consciousness.
Since Kelly’s death on Sept. 15, Onigaming Chief Jeff Copenace says he has been fighting for answers and accountability. First, he wants to know why paramedics delayed their response. Secondly, Copenace wants solutions to help his Indigenous community deal with the ongoing trauma from the legacy of residential schools.
“I’ve watched so much pain and suffering. I can’t stop fighting,” said Copenace in an interview with CTV News earlier this week. Since becoming chief a year ago, Copenace says he’s attended a dozen funerals of people in the community.
From his band council office, Copenace says he can see the home where Kelly’s friends and family were when they called 911. He can also see the spot where the ambulance was idling on the side of the road. Copenace said he drove out and personally pled with one paramedic to save Kelly’s life, but was told they would not go in without a police escort.
“He told me that he’s been (previously) attacked,” Copenace said on Tuesday. “I believe this paramedic, who was white, was scared because he viewed us as less than human. It terrifies me, because this is when systemic racism becomes deadly and terrifying for people.”
Treaty 3 Police received a 911 call about a non-responsive male at approximately 10 a.m. local time on Sept. 15 and dispatched a police officer from its Kenora office, which is located about an hour away from the reserve.
A photo posted by a crisis worker on social media shows a parked ambulance on the side of the road with the timestamp of 10:45 a.m. on the same day.
One cousin previously told CTV News she performed CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive, but was unable to revive Kelly.
Copenace says Kelly was born and raised in Onigaming and was “caring and well-loved.”
He said Kelly would often check in on the elderly people on the reserve, including Copenace’s father.
Kelly is survived by his mother, stepfather and five siblings. His obituary says he loved the outdoors and fishing with friends.
The Ontario Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into the incident, but declined to provide further comment. Copenace says the community wants more transparency about the provincial investigation.
“We still haven't received any information about that investigation. We would like to be involved. I know that we've got a number of witnesses -- probably 10 to 20 people -- who saw what happened. They were waiting for (paramedics') help,” he said.
The Kenora District Services Board (KDSB), which is responsible for paramedic response, is also reviewing the incident.
“Paramedics in our region put their lives on the line daily and give their all every day they go to work. They are asked to respond to a range of challenging, emergent situations, and assessing risk is a fundamental piece for our paramedics to ensure that they are safe while doing their work,” said KDSB Chief Administrative Officer Henry Wall in a press release issued Sept. 21.
After meeting with Copenace last week, Wall acknowledged in the press release that the community “desperately needs more resources” and said service providers “can do better.”
Jeff Copenace, Chief of Onigaming First Nation. Copenace says many on living on the reserve are struggling with the legacy of residential and day schools where Indigenous children were sexually and physically abused. Since becoming Chief in 2021, Copenace says he's attended a dozen funerals in the community.
Onigaming First Nation has yet to emerge from a state of emergency that was declared in 2014 after four young people died from suicide. Copenace said he is concerned Kelly’s death could trigger more trauma, leading to a spike in self-harm.
Many of the approximately 600 people who live in Onigaming are survivors of residential schools, and Copenace says the community doesn’t have enough resources to fight the high rates of alcohol and drug addiction in the community.
Copenace noted the reserve's medical clinic burned down last year and hasn’t been rebuilt. He said a community centre is needed that can house at least six “crisis beds” for youth who don’t feel safe at home, or to use as “sober spaces” to help people recover from substance abuse.
He has also requested more police resources to deal with the community’s drug problem. Copenace said he would like to see a dedicated constable in the reserve and help from tribal police to evict drug dealers from Onigaming. Treaty 3 Police Chief Kai Liu didn’t respond to CTV News’ request for comment, but Copenace’s request would likely be difficult to achieve. The police force only has 96 officers to patrol an area larger than the entire province of New Brunswick.
After meeting with community leaders last week, the federal government is responding to the crisis with funding for safety officers. Indigenous Services Canada will provide Onigaming First Nation with $50,000 to create a well-being first response team.
Copenace says Indigenous safety officers can be trained to use naloxone to revive people who have overdosed. These safety officers can also accompany paramedics into homes, if they arrive before police.
“If we can't count on the paramedics because of systemic racism, then we need our own people,” Copenace said.
He said the death of Joshua Kelly has made it clear that protecting the community from the legacy of colonialism requires solutions created by those who understand the pain.
This story has been updated with the correct spelling of Jeff Copenace, not Copenance.
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.