Man's death in Gatineau prompting conversation about housing supports for Indigenous residents
Christine Angnetsiak is still grappling with the tragic death of her cousin, Tommy Robert Angnetsiak.
His body was found on the bank of the Ottawa River near Gatineau's Jacques Cartier Park on April 6. Police say no foul play is suspected.
The body of 30-year-old Tommy Robert Angetsiak was found on the bank of the Ottawa River near Gatineau's Jacques Cartier Park on April 6, 2024. (CTV News Ottawa)
"The last he was heard from was in November and he was reported missing in March," Angnetsiak said. "We tried to get the word out that he was missing. We did all we could."
The 30-year-old was from Pond Inlet, Nunavut. He moved to Ottawa 15 years ago for a better life. His family says Tommy was experiencing homelessness and had struggled with addiction.
Friends and the community showed an outpouring of support on social media.
"A lot of people actually came forward and said a lot of the same things as I did and said how generous and how kind he was," Angnetsiak said.
Tommy's death is now sparking a conversation around the disproportionate impact of homelessness and substance abuse on the Indigenous population in Ottawa.
Indigenous people represent about 4 per cent of Ottawa's population. A 2021 survey from the City of Ottawa found 32 per cent of people experiencing homelessness identified as Indigenous, but that number is likely higher. Of those, 59 per cent indicated living with substance use.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"There should be more from the shelters, specifically, and for Indigenous people in the city because of the amount of new people there is in this," said Angnetsiak , "and because of the struggles we face and the generational trauma and everything our people are going through."
Arrangements to bring his body back to Nunavut are in the works, with a GoFundMe page set up to help with the costs.
"I loved Tommy so much. There's no one like him. His spirit is one of a kind," said Angnetsiak. "I just wish I was able to hug him one last time."
A coroner's investigation is now underway. Gatineau police previously said there was no foul play suspected in his death.
Correction
A previous version of this article misspelled the family name Angnetsiak and misspelled Christine Angnetsiak's name as Christina. The correct spellings are now present.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
Wisconsin school district says active shooter 'neutralized' outside middle school
A Wisconsin school district said an active shooter was 'neutralized' outside a middle school in Mount Horeb on Wednesday, and no one inside the building was injured.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he does not regret calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko,' and now his MPs are renewing calls for the House of Commons Speaker to resign, this time over ordering the Official Opposition leader to leave the chamber.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan.
Lawyers for alleged serial killer to argue he is not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers told court they will argue alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women by way of a mental disorder.
B.C. tribunal decides first case involving non-consensual sharing of intimate images
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.