Sagkeeng chief adds voice to chorus calling for inquiry into Tina Fontaine's death

The chief of Tina Fontaine's home community said he's disappointed the Manitoba government has no plans to call an inquiry into the death of the teenage Indigenous girl.

Speaking to reporters at the legislative building on Thursday, Sagkeeng First Nation Chief Derrick Henderson said a public inquiry is the only way to examine all the issues that contributed to her death.

"We have approximately 16 people in my community who have been affected by murdered and missing [Indigenous women and girls], so I think this inquiry would be a step to get the right answers that we need," Henderson said.

Tina's 72-pound body was pulled from the Red River on Aug. 17, 2014. She had been wrapped in a duvet cover and weighed down with rocks.

Raymond Cormier was charged with second-degree murder, but a jury acquitted him after a three-week trial last month. The Crown has said it will not appeal the verdict.

Tina came to Winnipeg from Sagkeeng in the summer of 2014 and the 15-year-old quickly became exploited. She was in the care of Child and Family Services when she died.

She was last seen by caregivers on Aug. 8, 2014, when she left a downtown hotel where she was in the care of a worker for a private company with a Child and Family Services contract. She told the worker she was going to Portage Place mall to meet friends.

Manitoba Justice Minister Heather Stefanson said Wednesday an inquiry isn't necessary because the Office of the Children's Advocate is already investigating Tina's death, and the circumstances leading up to it.

Henderson said he doesn't think that investigation will get the answers he's seeking.

"I think with the inquiry, we can change legislation, change the way we do business with CFS."

Those are changes "that feel like they would help," he said.

Tina Fontaine's death shocked the country and led to calls for justice and for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, which is now underway.