(Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Coroner's Inquest

Parole officer for mass stabbing perpetrator recommended against parole despite low risk assessment

Jan 23, 2024 | 4:35 PM

The institutional parole officer for the man responsible for the mass stabbing attack on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the Village of Weldon believed his risk to public safety was low at one time.

The coroner’s inquest is a fact-finding exercise to determine the events leading up to a death, in this case, the 11 people who were killed and 18 others who were injured Sept. 4, 2022. The jury in this inquest is not to determine fault, but to look at the circumstances and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from happening.

Jessica Diks testified at the inquest on Tuesday explaining she oversaw Myles Sanderson during his time at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary just outside of Prince Albert.

Diks worked with Sanderson from late 2019 to when he was transferred to the Willow Cree Healing Lodge, a minimum-security facility.

Diks said she recommended Sanderson move facilities because she believed he’d be able to make great progress in bettering himself.

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“[The Willow Cree Healing Lodge offers] some non-core program… things like parenting, intergenerational impacts from residential schools,” she said.

Diks also believed the progress Sanderson made was due to the healing lodge’s routine schedule. With a correctional facility, it would be up to Sanderson to keep up to date on his programming, Diks said.

Since Sanderson wanted to go to a minimum-security facility, Diks conducted a risk assessment. She rated him as low risk due to his improved work on rehabilitation. His criminal record was considered but, according to Diks, wasn’t something that jumped off the page.

Diks also said he was not violent, didn’t cause any real issues, or affiliated with any gangs while incarcerated.

She explained Sanderson changed greatly over his time at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. Early on, he wasn’t focused on taking part in programs and accessing resources. Diks said he wasn’t violent but didn’t like being told what to do.

“He was extremely guarded… he presented as someone who was quite angry,” Diks added.

Despite recommending that Sanderson be transferred to the Willow Cree Healing Lodge, Diks was against him getting day and full parole.

While Sanderson was showing improvements, Diks believed he would be better serving his sentence in custody.

“This guy still needs a lot of help,” she said when asked why she believed he should be denied parole.

Sanderson was ultimately denied both day and full parole.

Her recommendation didn’t change even after a positive psychological risk assessment.

Meanwhile, Diks explained that leadership with the James Smith Cree Nation knew of Sanderson’s intentions to move back to the community if given parole.

Specifically, Chief Calvin Sanderson met with Sanderson virtually where they discussed resources available to him in the community. Diks said the chief expressed support for Sanderson’s plans. This talk happened months before Sanderson was ultimately granted statutory release.

Diks was also the authority who recommended Sanderson live with his father in Saskatoon once released due to concerns with him living with his common law spouse, Vanessa Burns. She was worried due to his past violent history and was more confident Sanderson would continue on the right path while living with his dad. She said the relationship between father and son was improving.

After the attacks on James Smith Cree Nation, Sanderson died when he was taken into police custody. A second coroner’s inquest is scheduled for later this winter to review the circumstances of his death.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @princealbertnow