Day 11: Elders describe dealings with Sanderson in prison

The Elder who facilitated the high-intensity multi-target programming Myles Sanderson took in prison said Monday he couldn’t begin to imagine that Sanderson was capable of what he did on Sept. 4, 2022.

Harvey Knight said he could only imagine Sanderson was on drugs when he killed 11 people and injured 17 others on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon.

“I can’t fathom any more than that,” Knight told the inquest into the mass murders.

Knight, who works with the Correctional Service of Canada, said he had a couple of one-on-one conversations with Sanderson after the offender arrived in federal prison in 2019. Knight noted Sanderson didn’t stand out at all, was well-behaved, and spoke in a thoughtful way.

“The feeling that I got from my interaction with him was that he has sort of … a childlike demeanor about him and when he talked about his past, it was in a way that a child would talk about his past,” Knight said in Melfort. “My heart went out to him and I felt compassion for him when he spoke.”

Knight noted his role was to work with Sanderson in the context of his healing journey and support him in the development of his mind, body and heart through the program’s teachings. Knight noted Sanderson seemed receptive to those teachings.

The Elder said Sanderson showed a high degree of self-awareness and had made progress on his healing journey. Knight noted that if an inmate goes astray from their healing plan, drinking or doing drugs would be the thing to knock them off track.

He suggested more programming should be available to help offenders recover from their addictions and rehabilitate.

Knight added he feels sorry for the families and said Sept. 4, 2022 remains with him.

“I even have a hard time realizing to the extent I was involved with him,” he said. “But as far as what happened after that, I just cannot comprehend.”

READ MORE:

• Day 1: Jury selection, first witness at James Smith Cree Nation inquest
• Day 2: Emotions intensify as testimony continues at JSCN inquest
• Day 3: RCMP witness at JSCN inquest discusses drug trade, warrants
• Day 4: RCMP witness apologizes to veteran’s family at JSCN inquest
• Day 5: Psychologist shares assessment of Myles Sanderson at JSCN inquest
• Day 6: Inquest hears Sanderson wasn’t among Sask.’s most wanted before attacks
• Day 7: Sanderson’s release from custody scrutinized at JSCN inquiry
• Day 8: Parole officers, program facilitator detail Sanderson’s progress in prison
• Day 9: Psychologist offers apologies to families during JSCN inquest
• Day 10: Pathologist tells inquest EMS likely couldn’t have saved murder victims

Another Elder testifies

Before Knight testified, the Elder who worked with Sanderson after he arrived in federal prison said Sanderson was remorseful for what he had done.

In September of 2018, Sanderson was sentenced to more than four years in a federal penitentiary for assault, assault with a weapon, robbery, mischief, assault on a peace officer and uttering threats.

On Monday, Geraldine Arcand — an Elder with the Correctional Service of Canada – told the inquest she helped Sanderson develop his healing plan for his time in prison.

Arcand testified they talked about addictions and taking care of his body, about his feelings and the actions that come out of them, about healthy relationships, and about not allowing his thoughts to get carried away.

Arcand also stressed to Sanderson the importance of his spiritual healing.

From what Arcand could remember, she got the impression that Sanderson needed guidance and support, that he was remorseful for what he’d done and for the victims, and that he wanted to be there for his kids.

Sanderson was denied parole in February of 2021, but he was given statutory release in August of that year. He breached his release conditions twice and was put back behind bars, but he was re-released both times.

After a third breach in May of 2022, Sanderson eluded capture until after his killing spree.

Asked during her testimony if she had any recommendations to the jury, Arcand said that aftercare is important. Offenders need a place to go and support when they get out, she said, noting that everything is provided to offenders behind bars, and it can be hard or even impossible to find support in the community.

Parole board employee discusses Sanderson’s releases

An employee of the Parole Board of Canada said the board decided to release Sanderson after he breached his conditions because it thought his risk factors were being managed in the community.

Monica Irfan, the deputy director of the policy section at the Parole Board of Canada, testified she never worked directly with Sanderson, but she was able to speak to the board’s policy surrounding parole and statutory releases.

According to the board’s decision regarding Sanderson’s request for parole, members didn’t think the gains he’d made in prison outweighed things like his criminal record and his history of domestic violence. In fact, they said there would be an undue risk to society if he was released.

So, for his statutory release in August of 2021, the board imposed special conditions over and above the standard conditions: No drugs or alcohol; no associating with people committing crimes or imbibing such substances; no contact with victims or their families; and any sexual or non-sexual relationship with a woman needs to be reported and approved.

As had been explained previously in the inquest, day and full parole are more like a privilege — the offender has to apply and it’s not a given. However, it’s legislated that offenders have to be considered for statutory release after serving two thirds of their sentence.

The only way an offender can be denied statutory release is if a detention order is made, by determining the person could cause a death or serious harm while out in the community, could commit a sexual offence involving a child, or could commit a serious drug offence.

Irfan explained the parole board can’t decide whether or not to give statutory release. It can consider a detention order, but the Correctional Service Canada has to refer the offender for a detention order review.

Irfan said corrections did not make that referral in Sanderson’s case, so it wasn’t something the parole board could consider.

After the first of Sanderson’s three breach of conditions, he turned himself in. The case was referred back to the parole board with the recommendation from his parole officer that his release be revoked.

Irfan told the inquest that the board decided in February of 2022 to re-release Sanderson with a reprimand and another condition, this one to not contact his partner or their children.

The board said that his risk was being managed in the community by his conditions and that society would benefit because it would help him reintegrate.

During the hearing, Sanderson apologized for not being honest and said he understood why he needed to be more open and that he would be in the future.

Irfan said the parole board recognized that Sanderson had a significant journey to change his lifestyle and live a pro-social life, but also that he had been trying to manage his emotions and his sobriety.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick