Kimberly Rogers Inquest Alerts

Kimberly Rogers Inquest: first day
October 15, 2002

The first day of the Inquest into the death of Kimberly Rogers was taken up mostly with Coroners instructions about the process, and with an outline of the evidence assembled by the investigators.

Key points:

• The OPP constable who summarized the chronology of events leading up to Kimberly Rogers' death focussed on the amounts of prescription medications that she received, as well as her past history of visits to walk in clinics in addition to her family physician. However, by the end of the day it turned out that the investigators had erred in listing the amounts of medication. Kimberly actually only obtained her medication from her family physician and only in the amounts allowed under the Ontario Drug Benefit plan.
  
  
• In May, 2001 Kimberly Rogers appealed her conviction and sentence, stating she did not understand the meaning and consequences of the guilty plea. At around the same time, she also launched her Charter Challenge to the suspension of her welfare benefits.
  
  
• Among the 18 volumes of documentary evidence amassed by the Coroner's investigators, 5 volumes contain the Ontario Works Act, regulations, policies and procedures.
  
  
• From the way the evidence was presented today, it is clear that the focus by some of the parties for the next few weeks will be on the personal.
  
  
• The Public Interest groups there, (Ontario Social Safety NetWork/Steering Committee on Social Assistance, the Sudbury Social Planning Council, and the coalition of Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies(CAEFS), LEAF, NAWL and NAPO, will be there to bring out the larger issues involving government policies.

To paraphrase Justice with Dignity spokesperson, Laurie McGauley, whatever the precise cause of Kimberly Rogers' death, it is clear that we as a society failed her in life.

Nancy Van Der Plaats
Barbara Anello
Ontario Social Safety NetWork