The father of the first victim of the blastomycosis outbreak in Constance Lake First Nation is pleased with the 79 recommendations put forth by the coroner’s inquest. Arthur Moore, whose son Luke passed away in November 2021 due to a misdiagnosis of pneumonia, emphasized the importance of vigilance within the community to ensure that the inquest’s 21-day proceedings lead to tangible changes.
Moore acknowledged that while the recommendations are not legally binding, they have stirred a sense of awareness among the people. The outbreak claimed the lives of five individuals and affected numerous others with the fungal lung disease in the small community of 800 during the fall of 2021 and winter of 2022.
Expressing his contentment, Moore highlighted the recommendations that advocate for enhancements in the local healthcare system, such as augmenting staff levels at the community’s health center and providing cultural sensitivity training for staff at the Notre Dame hospital in Hearst, a nearby town.
Michelle Daigle, Luke Moore’s cousin and a geography professor at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Indigenous Studies, viewed the recommendations as a pivotal step towards fostering better relations between Constance Lake and the healthcare system. Daigle recalled instances of subtle racism and apprehension about seeking medical assistance at the Hearst hospital during her upbringing in the First Nation.
She particularly welcomed the recommendations urging the cleanup of abandoned sawmill sites in the community, aiming to address longstanding environmental concerns. Daigle underscored the historical injustices faced by Constance Lake, including the contamination of local waters due to leftover sawdust and logs.
Elizabeth Moore, Luke’s mother, residing near Wilmot Lake, expressed a keen interest in monitoring the implementation of the recommendations, believing that they hold the key to a brighter future for all residents of Constance Lake First Nation. Gilles Bisson, a former NDP MPP for the region, emphasized the necessity of addressing the community’s concerns about sawmill pollution at the legislative level.
The current MPP for the area, Guy Bourgouin, pledged to advocate for the Ontario government’s action on the recommendations, particularly stressing the cleanup of pollution linked to the forestry industry. Ramona Sutherland, the former chief of Constance Lake, shared her reflections on the inquest, describing it as both distressing and respectful, while emphasizing the urgency for substantial improvements.
Despite the absence of responses from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Lecours Lumber, the Ontario Ministry of Health assured that it is evaluating the recommendations and plans to respond to the Office of the Chief Coroner directly. Northeastern Public Health, the regional health unit, stated that it is deliberating on the inquest’s outcomes to determine the way forward.