The leader of Manitoba’s Opposition is calling for an inquest into the death of an Indigenous man while he was on a bus travelling to Winnipeg for a medical appointment.
Abraham Donkey, who was 58, was travelling from Thompson, Man., for a followup appointment after recent heart surgery.
He died on Oct. 3rd during a 10-hour bus trip.
NDP Leader Wab Kinew says neither Manitoba Health nor the federal government’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch offered to pay for a flight and refused to cover expenses for a family member to go with Donkey.
Kinew says an inquest is important to understand what happened and how a similar death can be avoided.
When asked in question period about Donkey’s death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Indigenous Services Department is looking into the details.