Inmate’s death could have been prevented, says close friend

“I would like to know the same thing,” he said, noting Vermette was living on the maximum security side of the prison, where inmates are monitored very closely. “I don’t know the answer to that one.”

Although not related by blood, Sinclair said he called Vermette “his brother” and news of Vermette’s death has hit him very hard. Sinclair went on to explain addictions issues go back a long way in the family, adding Vermette’s own mother struggled with addictions issues. Sinclair further claimed social services knew there were problems but did nothing about it.

“You had a seven-year-old cooking for the family, while the mom was locked in the bathroom using all day. The kids didn’t know their mother until my brother kicked the door in to talk to her,” Sinclair said.

A picture of Brendan (centre) with his brother Braidy, and their younger siblings. (Submitted/ Chase Sinclair)

Acknowledging that he has also served jail time, Sinclair recalled one time when it took three months to get an Advil. He said the correctional system needs to do a better job.

“It’s meant to correct our behaviour, to deter and denounce delinquency but they don’t. It takes you two months to get into a sweat, even if you get that,” he said. “And if they do they release us back to the pack of wolves we were with. There’s no restorative measures at all.”

Another issue, according to Sinclair, is Prince Albert’s geographical location, as the gateway to the north. He said people coming to the city from reserves, where housing and living conditions are poor, struggle, and have issues coping.

“This is why you see so much damage, why you see so much drugs because we all lean on our support and our support as addicts is the use of drugs,” he said.

Sinclair noted Vermette leaves behind two young boys, whose mother died five years ago from a Fentanyl overdose. Vermette’s brother is also in prison serving time. Explaining that First Nations people suffer from trauma, linked directly to colonialism (residential schools), and need to be tended to as a community through support systems.

“If we can house people for $150,00 in jail, then why can’t we spend $150,000 on restorative measures and then they would be contributing members of society. They would pay taxes. There would be holistic healing, and there wouldn’t be an over-representation of indigenous people in our facilities,” he said.

Sinclair said his friend Brendan (left) wore his heart on his sleeve. (Submitted/ Chase Sinclair)

Response from advocate

Prisoner advocate Sherri Maier, with Beyond Prison Walls Canada, said she is not surprised to hear Vermette died from an overdose. She explained one of the issues inside the wall is that inmates, dealing with addictions issues, get cut off cold turkey from the medication they are taking until they can be re-assessed.

“A lot of guys go and buy them off someone else, so now they are taking meds and they don’t know what they are taking,” she said. “They might be taking doses that are too high for them to be taking”

Citing similar deaths this past week in other institutions across the country, Maier said drugs have become a big problem.

“Especially now with COVID and guys are sitting in their cells more and more they are not getting out and not able to call home and not getting their visits. You know that’s weighing on people,” she said.

Citing a program that’s currently running at Stony Mountain Institution in Manitoba, Maier said she would like to see it expanded to other federal institutions. The program essentially gets guards more involved with inmates, teaching them breathing exercises and how to cope with stressful situations.

“The guys that I have spoken to wish it was longer than five weeks, saying it legitimately helped them decrease their use of drugs or wanting to do drugs,” Maier said.

As indicated earlier this week, the Correctional Services Canada (CSC), as in all cases involving the death of an inmate, confirmed the circumstances surrounding Vermette’s death will be reviewed. CSC policy requires that the police and the coroner be notified.

Statement from family

Lilian Morin said her nephew will be remembered as a loving son, father, brother, cousin, and friend.

“There were some negative issues in his childhood but that didn’t impact his great personality he had growing up into a young man,” she said.

Morin went on to explain Vermette often spoke about his passion for welding and had expressed an interest of working in the trade to support his two sons.

Morin also argued that Sinclair’s statement about social services was not accurate, adding social services was present to the point of being intrusive and disempowering to a mother who loved her children.

‘”Again then as now, very few programs are available,” she said.

Morin also indicated the family’s plans to start a scholarship bursary for an individual in the second year of tech school or university, who was in prison/ jail and desires to make changes in their life.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Inmate’s death could have been prevented, says close friend

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