Only four

A coroner has only four ways to classify a death:  homicide, suicide, accidental or unknown causes.  That's why Brian Sinclair's death was classified as a homicide because there wasn't another category for the coroner to choose.  Sinclair was the native man who died awaiting treatment in a Winnipeg emergency room, a tragedy.  The inquest called it a case of "emotional fatigue", or some such other weird thing. 

The problem was, Sinclair was an addict and habitual user of emergency services, so I guess staff just got tired of, and ultimately ignored, him.  Predictably, his family is outraged.  Why?  I have no clue?  His misery was self-inflicted, the case with all of us.  Another sad story is that of Ashley Smith, the young woman who committed suicide while in segregated custody.  Bizarrely, the coroner called it homicide, even though she committed suicide?!

The families of Tina Fontaine and Rinelle Harper are also calling for national inquiries into why their daughters were attacked.  Fontaine died; Harper lived.  But both chose very risky lifestyles which put each in grave danger.  Are we to have a national inquiry every time a native dies?  If the Assembly of First Nations has its way, yes.  We all know what the problem is.

Please.