'He's here in spirit': Family and friends of Haven Dubois begin march to Ottawa

Family and friends gathered at the spot Haven Dubois’s mother pulled his body from the water eight years ago, ready to embark on a cross Canada journey in his honour.

Since May 20, 2015, there has been no investigation into Dubois’s death. The event was ruled to be an accident within 24 hours.

“He was just an amazing young man, he had so many talents, he was a great dancer, he loves his brother and sister very much he was just an amazing young man,” Avery Snell, a relative of Dubois, told CTV News.

Since the incident all those years ago, Dubois’s family are still demanding answers.

They expressed disbelief that the strong, 14-year-old boy could drown in less than three feet of water, and have reason to believe that foul play was involved.

“A somber feeling because Haven’s not here, he’s here in spirit,” Chief Matthew Peigan of Pasqua First Nation said.

“A happy feeling because there’s going to be an inquest and perhaps we’ll find those answers to the questions that were asked eight years ago by Haven’s mother.”

After years of waiting, a coroner’s inquest will be held in 2024 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

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This is why the family, friends of Haven Dubois are marching on Ottawa to raise awareness and call for a national inquiry for missing, murdered, and neglected Indigenous boys, men and two-spirit people.

“We are starting today, the walk will start as soon as this interview is done and it will continue on to Ottawa,” Robyn Pitawanakwat, a spokesperson for the Dubois family, told CTV News.

“We imagine it will take about two months but we are heading to the AFN offices, we are heading to speak with government officials and to demand a national inquiry.”

The walk, lead by Haven’s mother: Rochelle Dubois to call for better

“We know that there are many families across Canada that are equally vulnerable and have had similar instances of their family being lost and not being investigated,” Pitawanakwat said.

“If you lost a son or a daughter in this manner, what would you do and what would you expect?” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron asked.

“You’d expect answers. You’d expect the justice system and the investigation to be more inclusive and to do better.”

The group set off on their journey on June 6, which would’ve been Haven’s 23 birthday.