Native leaders in Manitoba are calling for an inquest into the death of a woman from the Northlands Denesuline First Nation.

Liza Tssessaze, 31, died on May 27 after experiencing difficulty breathing for several days. A doctor had removed her breathing tube without explanation, her mother said.

Tssessaze visited a nursing station on the reserve multiple times to seek medical treatment. Nurses called for a medevac -- there are no permanent roads to the community -- but the Northern Regional Health Authority refused to send one.

“When we entered into the treaties we never imagined that it would result in the need for inquiries and inquests to assure our human rights. Action must immediately be taken to change the medevac policy and to hold physicians accountable for decisions not to use medevac flights," Northlands Denesuline councilor Joe Hyslop said in a press release.

The Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents 30 First Nations, is supporting the call for the inquest.

Get the Story:
Chiefs want inquest after woman dies without medevac help (CBC 6/11)
Chiefs call for inquest into woman's death in nursing station (The Winnipeg Free Press 6/11)
MKO & Family Want Inquest Into Death (CJOB 6/11)