‘It opened my eyes’: Families reflect on evidence heard at JSCN inquest

“He was neglected. He was abused. He didn’t know how to change his life … He didn’t know who to turn to. He had nobody.”

Burns said that made her think about her own kids and her grandkids.

“I want them to bring up their children better than how (Sanderson) was brought up. I don’t want my grandkids to go down that road,” she said, musing that maybe that’s the reason why she survived.

“I just about died twice – and I told my husband I didn’t want to go with him. I didn’t want to die. I’m not done here yet.”

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Burns said she wanted to attend the hearings every day to see what was happening and hear what was being said. She said she hopes the inquest can bring about changes in her community and in the law.

Among the families of the victims, there’s been talk of making a better community for young people and those yet to be born. Burns said her hope for the future generations is for them to be taught their culture and be steered down the right road.

“Drugs and alcohol are easy to get nowadays, and I don’t want them to go down that road, because it’s hard to get out of,” she said.

Deborah Burns, Joyce’s daughter, has been speaking and asking questions on behalf of their family at the inquest.

“Having the questions answered did bring some clarity to what we have been questioning over the past year and a half,” Deborah explained.

“At the beginning, we were angry. We were confused. We had a lot of questions about the how (and) the why. We’re satisfied with some of it.”

Chelsey Stonestand stood with Buggy Burns, who was wearing a bunnyhug emblazoned with pictures of the family members he lost, including his wife Bonnie Burns and their son Gregory. She represented him and his family in the inquest.

Stonestand said she works closely with Buggy in the community and said she can see the positive changes the inquest has brought for him.

“Buggy speaks openly about the different changes he’s seen within himself, which is being able to sleep more, being able to have a more clear mind, being able to have an understanding that can bring him some comfort in the loss of his wife and son,” said Stonestand.

All of the families are hoping for some kind of change to come out of the inquest, both in their communities and in the justice system itself.

The inquest’s jury is currently considering what recommendations it will make in order to prevent similar deaths in the future.

by Lisa Schick/CKOM News Staff

‘It opened my eyes’: Families reflect on evidence heard at JSCN inquest

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