Faqiri family calls out Ontario gov't for lack of action on inquest recommendations

Five months after a coroner's inquest into the death of a mentally ill man at an Ontario jail, his family said Thursday the province has failed to implement any of the dozens of recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future.

Five months after a coroner's inquest into the death of a mentally ill man at an Ontario jail, his family said Thursday the province has failed to implement any of the dozens of recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future.

In December, jurors at the inquest into the death of Soleiman Faqiri issued 57 recommendations meant to improve oversight of the correctional service and access to mental health care for those in it.

Jurors also ruled Faqiri's death on Dec. 15, 2016, to be a homicide, a finding his family said brought them validation they had sought for years.

But Faqiri's brother, Yusuf Faqiri, said Thursday the province has not fulfilled any of the inquest's recommendations, including what he called the "easiest one," a call for a statement recognizing jails are not an appropriate environment for people with significant mental health issues, which came with a 60-day deadline.

"How many tragic deaths and inquests do we need until governments do their duty to protect our most vulnerable and transform the correctional system?" he said at a news conference at Queen's Park.

"This is not a partisan issue. The government needs to stand on the right side of history," he added. "We don't want our loved ones in body bags. Is that too much to ask?"

The family is also seeking an apology from the province and Premier Doug Ford for what happened to Soleiman Faqiri.