Inquest for 2 First Nations men who died in police custody in Thunder Bay, Ont., begins today

It's been years since Don Mamakwa and Roland McKay, both from Oji-Cree First Nations in northwestern Ontario, died separately while in police custody.

The families of the two men now hope a coroner's inquest that begins today (Tuesday) in Thunder Bay, Ont., will give them answers surrounding the circumstances of their deaths.

Mamakwa, 44, of Kasabonika Lake and McKay, 50, of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug died Aug. 2, 2014, and July 20, 2017, respectively, in their cells when they lost vital signs (related to medical illness, according to court information) while being detained at Thunder Bay Police Service headquarters. Both men had been arrested on allegations of public intoxication. Coroner's inquests are mandatory in Ontario when a death occurs while someone is in custody or detained.

Denise Tait, a niece of both Mamakwa and McKay, plans to be in attendance for all 17 days set aside for the inquest.

Tait said she wants to know who made the decision to medically clear McKay of any health concerns and send him to the police station instead of the hospital.

"He obviously needed help. That's why the ambulance was called," Tait told CBC News. "Instead, they cleared him and took him to jail.

"I've been waiting years to get this answer."

The inquest will try to answer a number of questions, including:

Rachel Mamakwa said she has mixed feelings about the start of the inquest, more than eight years after her brother Don died.

"Every time this comes up … the feelings come back from that day when we lost him. The hurt and anger," Rachel said.

She said she hopes the inquest leads to change so no one else dies in the police station and people get the supports they need.

"Take them to the hospital instead of the jail for them to die there, like what happened to my brother. He wanted to go to the hospital."

Mamakwa and McKay are among 61 people across Canada who have died in police custody since 2010 after being detained for public intoxication or similar offences, according to a CBC News investigation story published late in 2021.

The investigation, which examined roughly 250 deaths in police custody in Canada, found a majority of the 61 people were sent to a cell for the night because police thought they were a danger to themselves or others.