How and why Myles Sanderson was released from prison was the topic during day seven of the inquest looking into the mass stabbing on the James Smith Cree Nation and the Village of Weldon.
Cindy Gee, the district director for Correctional Service of Canada responsible for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario, testified on Tuesday.
She was specifically requested to testify because Sanderson, the man responsible for killing 11 people and injuring 17 others on Sept. 4, 2022, was granted statutory release in August 2021.
Gee explained offenders have the right to serve the last third of their sentence in public. The only people who aren’t eligible right away are those sentenced to life or an undetermined time.
Sanderson was serving a four-year, four month, and 19-day sentence for assault, assault with a weapon, robbery, mischief, assaulting a peace officer, and uttering threats to cause harm. He began serving his sentence on Sept. 24, 2018.
Despite having a violent history, Sanderson was still eligible for statutory release. However, Gee explained there is a process to keep certain offenders in prison.
“If an offender is serving offences that are violent… we can make an application for that offender to be put under detention,” she said.
Gee added everyone with a violent history is considered for detention, though it’s rare when someone isn’t allowed to leave. Sanderson was considered, though Gee noted they had no information at the time to suggest he should be put in detention. This was mainly because of correctional programs he was undertaking aimed at bettering himself.
Even though Sanderson was out in public, there would have been certain rules he would have had to follow. Parole officers would be responsible for checking in and ensuring he was following them.
Sanderson’s statutory release was suspended in November 2021 when he breached one of his conditions and a warrant was issued for his arrest. His parole officer had received a message from his common law spouse, Vanessa Burns, that they had been living together for a month.
“Basically, it’s a Canada-wide warrant. We will contact police and provide them with information like where they were living, where they were working,” Gee said.
She explained Sanderson immediately turned himself in.
In February 2022, the Parole Board of Canada lifted Sanderson’s suspension, despite his parole officer recommending he serve the remaining part of his sentence in custody.
Later that month, Sanderson breached his conditions again, however, his release was not suspended. He had met with one of kids, despite not being allowed to without permission. His release wasn’t suspended because he was honest and was confused about the restriction.
A few months later in May 2022, Sanderson once again breached his conditions and this time his release was suspended. His parole officer received a message from Burns claiming he was banging on her door and had barged in.
Sanderson never turned himself in and police were unable to find him.
Gee added the leadership of James Smith Cree Nation wouldn’t have been updated as Sanderson had claimed he would be living in Saskatoon with his father during his release.
He was originally going to stay in the First Nation with Gee saying leadership were OK with this at the time due to his approved release conditions.
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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com
On X: @princealbertnow
