An inquest into the death of a native teen attending High School away from home is a step closer to moving ahead after years of delays.Thunder Bay coroner Dr. Michael Wilson says a pre-inquest hearing into the death of Reggie Bushie will begin on July 21st, and a date will be set for the inquest following that hearing.
The 15-year-old's body was recovered from the McIntyre River in Thunder Bay in 2007.
He is the first of several teens from Nishnawbe Aski Nation who died in similar circumstances, leading provincial opposition parties to suggest those tragedies could have been avoided had the inquest been completed earlier.
Bushie's inquest was set to begin in 2009, but was delayed due to a lack of First Nations representation on the jury roll.
While the inquest will focus on Bushie's specific case, the jury may also make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in First Nations students who move to attend school.
