James Smith Cree Nation, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the Assembly of First Nations say they were excluded from the preparation of a report from Correctional Services Canada and the Parole Board of Canada on Myles Sanderson and his release from prison.

In a news release, the three government entities continue to ask for CSC and the Parole Board to include First Nations governments in policy and legislation reform discussions which affect their people. James Smith Cree Nation Chief Wally Burns says the fact that an investigation and recommendations focused on Indigenous inmates was done without them speaks volumes when one of their band members was the perpetrator and it’s their people who died in the massacre.

Leaders from both the Cree Nation and the FSIN met with Correctional Services and the Parole Board on Monday to discuss the report, a 160-page report, and were only given the report one business day prior to the meeting.

Chief Burns and FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron are calling on the federal government to implement recommendations made in the two Coroners Inquests. They include direct involvement of First Nations governments prior to the release of offenders from their community and creating on-reserve aftercare programs and short-term sober-living accommodations for people leaving jails and prisons in partnership with First Nations leadership.

Burns says the report was complete in 2023, but CSC and PBC chose not to release it for use in the Coroners Service inquests, and its lawyers object to questions about the report during the inquests.

Cameron says, “Statistics show that about 80 percent of inmates in the prairie region are Indigenous, so it’s insulting to us that input from our people wasn’t included. This is an opportunity for our governments to collaborate on solutions. We demand and expect Canada to live up to the promises they made to First Nations and include us.”