James Smith Cree Nation chief, RCMP look to future after mass stabbing inquests conclude

Leaders at James Smith Cree Nation have a lot to ponder after the inquests revolving around the 2022 mass stabbings in their community came to a conclusion.

In addition to the testimony and recommendations that came out of the inquests, Chief Wally Burns also has about 260 letters that students wrote to him.

"I ask them questions like, 'What do you want to see in our community?' " Burns said. 

"One, they wanted to see a youth centre, a bunch of stuff in the youth centre — a pool, weights, anything that you can think of, we bought it."

Another letter, he laughed, asked about how to be a politician.

Burns spoke Thursday, shortly after the end of the public inquest into the death of Myles Sanderson, the 32-year-old man who killed 10 people in James Smith Cree Nation and one person in the neighbouring village of Weldon, and injured 17 others. 

It's the second inquest in the past six weeks centred on the massacre on Sept. 4, 2022, and the ensuing capture of Sanderson three days later. The first inquest analyzed the stabbing massacre in its entirety, while the week-long inquest that wrapped up this week focused on Sanderson's death.

The second inquest saw footage of a high-speed police pursuit of Sanderson behind the wheel of a stolen truck, including the miraculous manoeuver from an RCMP officer to send Sanderson into the ditch along Highway 11. Jurors also learned about Sanderson's arrest moments before he went into medical distress from what jurors determined was an accidental cocaine overdose.

Now, the community tries to move on.

"To heal, that you've got to start moving forward, is to forgive," Burns said.

That's not easy for people like Burns' brother Martin, who lost his son Thomas in the attacks and still deals with the pain on a day-to-day basis, Burns said.

In response to a criminal forensic psychologist's testimony that Sanderson was not a born killer, but had become that way over time, Burns said the community has been considering ways to broaden young people's perspectives.

He said the community is considering bringing in different athletes to speak with them and encouraging post-secondary education.

"I really love promoting our culture because that's the only thing no one took away from us," he said.