Family members of Gerald Straightnose are walking from Kamsack to Regina this week, honouring his memory and demanding answers more than a year after his death in RCMP custody. The Justice Walk began Monday and is expected to conclude Thursday in Regina. Participants are travelling through Wroxton, Yorkton, Melville, Balcarres, Fort Qu’Appelle and Balgonie. Organizers saying the walk is being held in a peaceful and respectful manner while following highway safety requirements. Gerald Straightnose died less than 48 hours after being taken into custody at the Kamsack RCMP detachment on June 5, 2025. The 61-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell where he was later pronounced dead. The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death. On Aug. 12, a crowd gathered near the Kamsack detachment calling for justice and transparency from police. Just a few weeks later, Gerald’s sister, Janice Straightnose announced on social media that she and other members of her community would be walking to Regina to push for answers and change. Speaking near Yorkton during the walk on Tuesday, Straightnose’s aunt, Thelma Severight, said the family is still waiting for answers. “We want our answers,” Severight said. “We were never told nothing. We were told he had a heart attack, but he died because of neglect in that detachment.” Severight said the walk is intended to bring attention to the alleged neglect of Straightnose and push for changes to prevent similar incidents in the future. “We want changes done in the RCMP detachments so this doesn’t happen to anybody else,” she said. Straightnose said recent rallies in Kamsack have helped draw attention to the family’s calls for accountability. She said RCMP representatives have reached out and agreed to meet with the family during their time in Regina. “I know we’re not going to get our answers with them in regards to my brother,” she said. “But we’re going to sit down and we are going to push for equality, justice for everybody.” The walk is also meant to highlight what organizers describe as broader concerns about the treatment of Indigenous people in police custody. “Walk a mile in my moccasins,” Straightnose said. “Maybe if you walk and see through our eyes how we’re treated, maybe people will feel different.” Organizers are accepting donations to help cover costs associated with the multi-day walk, including fuel, food and accommodations for participants.
