Today marks the opening of the inquest into the death of Kendal Campeau, a member of the Yellow Quill First Nation who died in the custody of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) on November 14, 2021.
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who → mark → November
Mr. Campeau’s death highlights the ongoing and disproportionate harms experienced by Indigenous people in Canada’s prison system.
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death → highlight → system
The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC), BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), First Nations Summit (FNS), Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), and Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS) are calling on all levels of government to address the systemic conditions that contribute to the mass incarceration and in-custody deaths of Indigenous people.
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that → call → people
On the day of his death, Mr. Campeau experienced an overdose from a toxic combination of medications and was transported to hospital.
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Campeau → experience → hospital
He was discharged shortly afterward and returned to custody.
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He → discharge → custody
Hours later, while under observation in a prison cell, he died.
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he → die → cell
Mr. Campeau’s sister, Ashley Fontaine, said: “Kendal was a son, a brother, a friend to many and a proud uncle.
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Kendal → say → many
He was kind and giving, and he cared for others who were struggling.
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who → care → others
He was confined and locked up most of his life — a lifetime of institutional living.
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He → confine → living
All he ever wanted was one Christmas with the whole family.
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he → want → family
He never experienced this and never will.”
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He → experience → this
Indigenous people make up approximately one third of the federal prison population in Canada, and are disproportionately exposed to some of the most harmful aspects of incarceration, including isolation, uses of force, and self-harm incidents.
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people → make → force
The BCAFN, BCFNJC, FNS, UBCIC, and PLS have repeatedly called on Canada to address the mass incarceration of Indigenous Peoples by redirecting resources from prisons to Indigenous governments, organizations and communities to support community-based solutions.
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BCAFN → call → solutions
Mr. Campeau had a long history of being harmed by colonial systems, including the foster care and prison systems.
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Campeau → have → systems
He spent prolonged periods in solitary confinement, experienced violent abuse by prison officers, and survived suicide attempts.
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He → spend → attempts
An investigation by CSC found that the correctional service failed to appropriately consider Mr. Campeau’s Indigenous Social History when making decisions about his incarceration.
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service → find → incarceration
“Canada has been forcefully removing Indigenous people from their families and communities for far too long – through residential schools, the 60s scoop, and now prisons”, said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President.
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Phillip → remove → schools
“This inquest illustrates the critical need for emergency interventions on the part Canada according to the intent and purpose of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
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inquest → illustrate → Truth
The federal and provincial governments must use the opportunity presented by this inquest to understand not only the immediate circumstances of Kendal’s death, but the systemic, impoverished conditions that placed him at risk and failed to protect him.
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that → use → him
His family deserves answers and meaningful action to prevent another death in custody.”
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family → deserve → custody
Mr. Campeau lived with chronic pain and significant mental health needs.
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Campeau → live → pain
At the time of his death, he was being held at the Regional Treatment Centre-Pacific, a CSC facility meant to provide psychiatric care to people in federal custody.
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he → hold → custody
CSC treatment centres were recently the subject of a scathing critique by the Correctional Investigator of Canada, who concluded there was little to differentiate them from regular prisons and that security is prioritized over the delivery of care.
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security → conclude → care
In the weeks before his death, Mr. Campeau spoke to a doctor about being prescribed methadone, an Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT), but he never received a prescription.
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he → speak → prescription
The BC Coroner’s Service determined that Mr. Campeau died of methadone toxicity, an indication that he obtained methadone through other means in an attempt to self-medicate.
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he → determine → attempt
Doctors, researchers and civil society organizations have condemned new CSC restrictions on OAT in prison and called instead for evidence-based care.
“When a loved one is placed in an institution, they should be receiving client-centred care to meet their needs to be returned to their families healed and on a better path,” said Ms. Fontaine.
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Fontaine → condemn → path
“Families should be included in the rehabilitation of their loved ones.
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Families → include → ones
Those who are placed in institutional settings are human beings and deserve love, care and respect, no matter their circumstances.”
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who → place → circumstances
“Mr. Campeau’s death highlights the numerous ways that CSC is failing people with high mental health needs, people who use substances, and Indigenous people,” said Hugh Braker from the First Nations Summit Political Executive.
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Braker → highlight → Executive
People in prison have the right to meaningful healthcare just like people in the community, but by and large that’s not what they’re getting, which is of great concern.”
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which → have → concern
Cloy-e-iis (Dr. Judith Sayers), BCFNJC Director and Representative for Policing and Oversight, said: “The tragic and preventable death of Kendal Campeau is a devastating reflection of the broader systemic failures within Correctional Service Canada.
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death → say → Canada
Kendal was a treasured son, brother, uncle, and member of Yellow Quill First Nation, and his family deserves absolute transparency and accountability.
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family → treasure → transparency
To ensure another family does not suffer this same loss, the BCFNJC demands that Canada and BC take immediate action to address the needs of Indigenous people in their care, starting with the immediate reform of solitary confinement conditions in strict alignment with Tona’s Law.
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Canada → ensure → Law
The justice system must stop perpetuating trauma and finally commit to actionable reform and Indigenous healing.”
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system → stop → reform
“The tragic death of Mr. Kendal Campeau at a CSC facility is a reminder of countless other instances of violence and fatalities that First Nations peoples have experienced at the hands of officers and agents of the Crown in BC and across the country,” said BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee.
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Teegee → experience → country
“This case demonstrates that it is past time for Canada to fully implement the BC and National First Nations justice strategies to ensure meaningful reform of the existing justice system and the rebuilding of First Nations justice systems.
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Canada → demonstrate → systems
The inquest begins on September 28, 2026 at 9:30am and will be livestreamed on the BC Coroner’s website.
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inquest → begin → website
The Aporia
