Ontario's Chief Coroner testifies at First Nations student deaths inquest
Dr. Dirk Huyer to explain how coroners investigated deaths of 7 indigenous youth in Thunder Bay
Ontario's Chief Coroner is scheduled to testify Friday at the inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students in Thunder Bay, Ont.
All of the students came to the city to further their education because they lived in remote First Nations communities, which do not have high schools.
- In depth: First Nations student deaths inquest
- First Nations student recalls 'very scary' experience in Thunder Bay
- First Nations student deaths inquest: on-call support worker testifies
- First Nations student deaths inquest: Testimony from Robyn Harper's mother
Dr. Dirk Huyer is expected to provide insight into how coroners investigated their deaths.
Testimony at the inquest on Thursday revealed that no coroner attended the scene of Robyn Harper's death. She was 18 when she died in 2007 after only being in the city for a few days. Medical experts testified earlier that Harper died of alcohol poisoning.
Dr. Paul Dupuis who requested the autopsy on Harper's body was scheduled to testify Friday morning, followed by Huyer in the afternoon.
The inquest began this month and is expected to wrap up with recommendations about preventing further student deaths in March 2016.
Here is a look at the some of the proceedings from the CBC reporter in the courtroom.
Start of proceedings at First Nation student death inquest delayed today b/c of late arrival of a juror <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterInquest resumes with testimony from Paul Dupuis, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a> emergency doctor who did autopsy on student Robyn Harper in 2007 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says he was unable to get to the scene of Robyn Harper's death because he was couldn't leave his shift at the hospital <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'1 of the realities of coroners in the northwest' Dupuis says. 'We do our best to get to death scenes but it's not always possible' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says he can't remember who he had contact with in Robyn Harper's home community about her death <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'It's always difficult with communication in northern communities,' Dupuis says. Notification of death often left to police <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says if he had attended the scene he would have been able to better asses Harper's cause of death, based on her position <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterCoroners guidelines say they must provide documentation about why they don't attend death scenes when they cannot. 1/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says he made an omission in the case of Robyn Harper, did not document reason for non-attendance <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterOn 'deaths of First Nations kids' Dupuis says coroners have 'many discussions about what we see, frustrations and what we can do' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis was also the coroner for 2 of the other First Nation student's deaths being investigated at the inquest <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'I'm more protected now,' Dupuis says of recent changes to his work. 'We have more coroners in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a> & somewhat more back-up' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterLawyer for Robyn's asks 'you had an idea right off the top that this was fatal alcohol intoxication?' 1/2
—@cbcreporterDupuis says yes, but before investigation didn't know whether it was in combination with another cause <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a> 2/2
—@cbcreporterCoroners' guidelines say coroners should attempt to contact the family ASAP after a death. Dupuis agrees that did not happen <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterLawyer for Harper's family: do you feel you did what you needed to do?' Dupuis: appears I did not do all that I could have <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says more coroners available now but all work part time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterNAN lawyer: you have more people facing the same problem of not being able to attend death scenes? Dupuis: yes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterNAN lawyer: you have more people facing the same problem of not being able to attend death scenes? Dupuis: yes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says he either saw the video or police told him about Robyn Harper falling and hitting her head at bus terminal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterNNEC lawyer: why not mention that in your reports? Dupuis: I believe I did <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterNNEC lawyer: perhaps a fall would have been a contributing factor to her death? Dupuis: yes & that's reason for post-mortem <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says hard to pin point time of death but agrees that Harper's death likely occurred 4-12 hours before she was found ~ 9am <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterUnder questioning from lawyer for Ont's child advocate, Dupuis says his lack of communication with the family was 'not acceptable' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says according to guidelines he should have noted which information he received from police for his report. He did not <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDupuis says he has discussed the # of deaths of First Nations kids he sees as coroner, with his supervisor, many times <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterImmediacy of live tweeting is a challenge. Coroner's office watching my tweets today, offered clarifications during break 1/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDr. Dupuis is the coroner who requested the autopsy, he did not conduct it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterAlso in testimony: Dupuis said in this case unlikely he would have gained more info from scene as Robyn's body had been moved <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterUnder questioning from lawyer for police Dupuis says he does not believe he deviated from coroner's guidelines.
—@cbcreporterDupuis says being 'undermanned' in emergency dept. meant it was not feasible to have someone cover for him while on-call as coroner <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterPresiding coroner asks: if you had not been engaged in your clinical duties would you have attended the scene. Dupuis: unquestionably <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterOnt. Chief Coroner Dirk Huyer on stand: 'I recognize presence of feather which I recently learned is a sacred commitment to truth' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer's main responsibility as chief coroner is to oversee death investigations in the province <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer says death investigations 'difficult to predict, need flexibility' so coroners' guidelines are 'a guide, not the law' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer will be back in phase 2 of inquest, after Xmas, to testify about death investigations more generally, today about Harper death <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer says he feels 'sadness and disappointment' re: Dupuis not contacting family after Robyn Harper's death <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterLack of communication with family of deceased 'is something we're striving to overcome' as death investigation service, Huyer says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer says generally there is 'some difficulty reaching families in some circumstances' but he is 'not using that as an excuse' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBig sigh from one of Robyn Harper's family members as Huyer and lawyers exchange jokes and pleasantries <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'Current situation does not allow the attendance of coroner [at death scenes] in vast amount of situations on reserve,' Huyer says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFee-for-service model ($450 per investigation, no on-call pay) presents challenges to getting full time coroners in northwest: Huyer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer says new model being contemplated in consultation with First Nations <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer says new model being contemplated in consultation with First Nations <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterHuyer now explaining Goudge inquiry, some overlap with discussion at inquest. Here it is <a href="https://t.co/t1LtgQXbdg">https://t.co/t1LtgQXbdg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterJuror asks whose job it is to tell family that they can access coroner's report on death of loved one <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'None of that happened for Tina Harper, so what can your office do to fix that?' Juror asks chief coroner <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter2 recent annual conferences for coroners on communicating with families, work on-going, Huyer says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterInquest adjourned for the day. Resumes 12:30 pm Monday with evidence re: Jethro Anderson's death <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter