The family of 22-year-old Destiny Rennie, a Mi’kmaw woman who died last summer in a Nova Scotia hospital, joined supporters in calling for justice during a march through the streets of Halifax Friday.
Rennie’s family has alleged in a lawsuit that her death was due to negligence, and claims race may have been a factor.
“She should still be here,” said her father, Tim Toney.
A notice of action filed July 25 in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court says Rennie, who experienced “brain death” on Aug. 3, 2023, and was pronounced dead three days later with meningitis, was mistreated by doctors who thought she was an illicit drug user.
Her family alleges that hospital staff and doctors were “generally negligent” in their supervision and monitoring of Rennie’s symptoms and slow to act as her health deteriorated over several days.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the Nova Scotia Health Authority said it doesn’t release statements on ongoing legal actions.
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Friday’s walk was organized to coincide with the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People in order to amplify the call for justice.
Speakers at the march also brought attention to the need for systemic change within the health-care system in regard to Indigenous people.
Meanwhile, questions linger in the wake of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which was released five years ago.
“Why are we here today? Why are these issues continuing with our people — our young women — why?” said De-Anne Sack, a councillor with Sipekne’katik First Nation.
Sack says she wonders how many more Indigenous lives will be lost before change is implemented. She says it’s up to all people to educate themselves on what it means to be an Indigenous person, especially a woman.
“The whole month of October in Nova Scotia is Mi’kmaw History Month. If you want to be good allies, do your diligence and research and look up and learn about the first peoples of these lands,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rennie’s death has had a big impact on those who knew and loved her.
“She meant the world to my daughter and to me,” said family friend Donna Maiden, who was at the march.
“It’s something that can never be replaced. It’s beyond repair. She’s left a huge hole in our hearts and we miss her tremendously.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
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