ONIGAMING – Chief Jeff Copenace took to Twitter last night to express his frustrations after two EMS workers with Kenora Central Ambulance Services allegedly parked outside of the Onigaming First Nation community, about 30 kilometres south of Sioux Narrows, while a young man died.
“Today a young First Nations man died in Onigaming,” wrote Copenace on Twitter. “911 was called. The ambulance parked at the edge of our reserve + wouldn’t come help. As his family provided chest compressions, the paramedic let this young man die. This is racism.”
In the following tweet, Copenace gave further details about the horrific event.
“There was a big crowd of family and community members trying to save this young man's life,” wrote Copenace. “We could see the ambulance from our band office refusing to come help. Everyone in the community could see them sitting there as this young man passed away.”
Copenance told APTN News that the young man was suffering from an overdose, but the paramedic sat at the edge of the reservation for 20 minutes watching the man die.
Copenance tagged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indigenous Service Minister Patty Hadju, with Hadju responding on Twitter.
“Last night I spoke with Chief Copenace,” Hadju wrote. “Not being able to access urgent care is unacceptable. We agreed fed., prov. & community leaders must work together to understand how this happened and make sure all people in Onigaming can get the care they need when they need it.”
The Chief Administrative Officer for the Kenora District Services Board, which provides paramedic services in the region, also contacted Copenace to convey his condolences, and to assure Copenace and the community that the KSAB is launching an investigation.
“The incident in Onigaming First Nation is tragic,” CAO Henry Wall said in a statement to NWONewsWatch. “Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the family, community, and all staff involved."
"We are conducting a full review of the incident and have requested that the Ministry of Health conduct an investigation into what has occurred. I spoke with Chief Jeff Copenace to convey our condolences and to assure the community that they will be included in the entire review process. It is essential that the truth of yesterday’s incident is known, and all levels of government take that action to ensure an incident like this will not happen again in Onigaming or any other community in our region.”
