Courage of families honoured through award

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It has been a long, painful struggle for Jason Roy, but he says it was worth it.

On Nov. 5, Roy, his mother Mary and father Lawrence, along with Stella Bignell, Neil Stonechild's mother,were presented with an Elders Eagle Feather Award, a new award created by Elder Walter Linklater as a way to honour the families and recognize what they had been through during the inquiry into Stonechild's death.

Following a traditional ceremony hosted by Linklater and his wife Maria and the Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre, each recipient received an eagle feather for their tenacity and courage in fighting for justice for Stonechild, explained Linklater. Bignell was unable to attend the ceremony, so she asked her friend, Helen Semaganis, to accept on her behalf.

"I'm honoured," said Semaganis, who told the crowd that Bignell was extremely grateful for the support and thankful for the eagle feather. "She says she is confident it will help her on her healing journey."

Roy said receiving the eagle feather showed his struggle wasn't for nothing.

"It's a humbling honour to be recognized for something that's caused me a lot of mental, emotional and spiritual pain," said Roy before the ceremony. "I would do it all again if I had to."

Roy testified at the inquiry that he saw Stonechild bleeding and pleading for help in the back of a police cruiser 14 years ago, the night his friend was last seen alive. Roy's testimony came under fire but he stood by his story and still does today.

So does his mother, Mary. As she accepted her award she broke down, asking why people wouldn't believe her son, saying he was telling the truth.

"It's hard not to cry when you see what my son and Neil Stonechild went through."

Stonechild's frozen body was found in the north industrial area of Saskatoon. The case was closed in a matter of days, with investigators concluding Stonechild froze to death while trying to reach the Saskatoon Correctional Centre to turn himself in, a claim that didn't sit well with his family.

The inquiry began in September 2003 and heard from numerous witnesses over a six-month period. The final report by Justice David Wright was made public on Oct. 26.

Roy was vindicated in that report, with Wright calling his testimony "credible and corroborated" by evidence.

The report also found that Stonechild was in the custody of two police officers, constables Larry Hartwig and Brad Senger, the night he was last seen, although it stopped short of saying the two dropped Stonechild off in the field where his body was found.

Both officers were suspended with pay the day the report was released, and Chief Russell Sabo said he accepted the findings of the inquiry.

Roy said he has some acceptance with everything that has happened.

"I need to stress 'some' acceptance," he said.

He won't have complete closure until the people who are responsible for Stonechild's death are held accountable.

"We have to stand up for justice," he said, telling people that if change won't come from within, it has to be forced, like in the Stonechild case.

"I'm just glad I could play a small part in that."