'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.
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.