THUNDER BAY – The father of Kyle Morrisseau said his son’s death was a spiritual sacrifice necessary to make significant changes to the First Nations education system.
Christian Morriseau testified Monday afternoon at the coroner’s inquest examining the death of his 17-year-old son as well as six other students from remote First Nations communities receiving their high school in Thunder Bay between 2000 and 2011.
Kyle was last seen on Oct. 26, 2009 and last spoke with his parents that night. His body was found in the McIntyre River on Nov. 10, 2009. The cause of death was determined to be drowning with alcohol intoxication identified as a contributing factor.
Christian, has other children, said as much as he’s scared of them coming to Thunder Bay for school he believes it’s necessary and there is no choice adding both his parents experienced residential schools and said he is hopeful the deaths of Kyle and the others will result in significant changes to how education is administered.
He had previously been living in Thunder Bay when Kyle attended Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute for Grade 8 and 9 as he was worried about their safety and well-being in wake of previous student deaths.
He described an incident where Kyle and his brother Josh were robbed at knifepoint on a city transit bus where their jackets were taken from them.
Kyle was not happy in the city public high school because he did not feel he belonged.
They then applied to Northern Nishnawbe Education Council schools, Pelican Falls near Sioux Lookout and Dennis Franklin Cromarty in Thunder Bay, but were initially turned down because they were full. Kyle was later accepted to DFC for the start of the school year in the fall of 2009, taking the spot of a student who had moved home.
The father had spent two years in Thunder Bay while his sons were attending school, worried about their safety and well-being in wake of previous student deaths.
“DFC was just a new school too and I felt they were under-funded and the school teachers were not all properly trained,” he said, adding he thought the school moved too quickly and should have taken more observations and lessons from Pelican Falls and the high school in Ear Falls.
He acknowledged the efforts of the school’s founder, the late Dennis Franklin Cromarty, for providing an education opportunity for First Nations youth but said Cromarty probably never in his dreams imagined students would be sent home in body bags.
Christian visited the city early in October 2009 when Kyle told him he thought about coming home but his son ultimately decided to wait until the end of the month before making a final decision.
On Oct. 27 the family was notified Kyle had not returned home the night before. Christian said he went and spoke to chief and council and was just told his son was missing. He received another call with misinformation that Kyle had been called, before that was corrected later in the day.
“When I first heard about it I was in disbelief,” he said, adding initially he wasn’t sure if his son had gone to a party, stayed with friends or was with a girl.
He travelled to Thunder Bay that night in hopes of finding his son. He and school administration personnel canvassed the city for a couple of days but were on unsuccessful. On Oct. 29 he directed school officials to file a missing persons report with city police.
The family was assigned with Thunder Bay Police Service aboriginal liaison officer Larry Baxter, who Christian said was very helpful during the search. Christian said he had been observing the inquest and heard testimony from the other families and believe his son’s case received more of a police response than any of the others.
The inquest also heard from Barbara Malcolm, who was the boarding home parent where Kyle was living. She said it was rare for him to miss curfew, with only two instances during the two months he lived with her.
Christian, the son of famous artist Norval Morrisseau, began teaching Kyle how to paint following his father’s death. Kyle quickly demonstrated an immense talent, and was featured alongside his father at a number of art shows.
He also testified he intended for Kyle to manage his grandfather’s estate.
Following his son’s death Christian had an art exhibition in southern Ontario honouring the seven students, and has a work entitled ‘Bringing Kyle Home.’
The inquest continues Tuesday morning.
