A coroner’s inquest into the death of a First Nations woman is expected to shed light on the challenges of delivering health care in remote communities.
The inquest that opened today in Thunder Bay, Ont. is looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of 31-year-old Ruthann Quequish on April 1, 2017.
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She died from complications associated with diabetes after going to the community nursing station around her home in Kingfisher Lake several times in the days and hours before her death.
The presiding coroner Dr. Michael Wilson says the inquest is not looking to assign blame for Quequish’s death, but hopes to learn from the past in order to forge “a better future.”
A five-person jury is expected to deliver its verdict after the 14-day inquest that will hear from an estimated 20 witnesses.
Family members of Quequish were in attendance, including her brother Jordan Quequish who sang two songs as part of an Indigenous ceremony at the start of the inquest.