A letter from Burton Winter's grandmother: Defence Department's search and rescue response was 'criminal'
I was forwarded the following letter today (Feb. 16th), part of a 'campaign' for imporved search and rescue services in northern Labrador. I am writing this letter to express my disgust at my government’s failure to respond to an emergency request, which resulted in the death of my grandson, Burton Winters.
How is it possible in this day and age, the 21st century where technology and services are at their best, that calls for help to emergency services fails and a 14 -year old child dies as a result?
Where is the accountability in these failures: failure to respond when the initial call for help was made and then failures evidenced in the multiple excuses that have been subsequently provided?
The Department of National Defense’s response (or lack there-of) is criminal to say the least.
Where is the accountability? How come nobody has been reprimanded in this situation? How come nobody (Mr. Gardem, Mr. MacKay, Mr. Harper) has owned up to the huge mistakes that they have made. You have all failed Burton.
How is it possible that you fail to acknowledge that there is a need for improved search and rescue in our region (NL), more specifically northern Labrador? We need improved and/or renewed search and rescue in our region, not downgrading or elimination of it.
You continue to fail us, Burton’s family who are left behind to pick up the pieces after this horrific tragedy. Your excuses have been many, have been contradicting, and have made no sense at all. They are full of loopholes. Your intelligence must see that. Maybe you think that we are not intelligent enough to see how foolish your excuses are. Maybe you think that the idiotic excuses that you have given is enough for us and maybe you think these public statements that you have provided will suffice and that we will go away. Be rest assured, we will not go away.
We, the family of Burton’s family will never stop grieving him. We cannot bring him back. His death and the circumstances surrounding your involvement, I mean lack of involvement has struck a chord not only the communities of Labrador North but the province of NL as a whole, Canada and world-wide. This will not go away.
We will never stop grieving our little boy and we will never stop asking for sensible answers to our questions. We will not stop until we get action for much-needed search and rescue services for Labrador. We will not stop until we get effective, efficient and adequate search and rescue for our region, Northern Labrador and our province as a whole.
It is not right that my beautiful, little grandson has become a poster boy of just how inadequate search and rescue is in northern Labrador. We cannot get Burton back. What we can do as Canadian citizens, as taxpayers is to fight for “expected” rights and privileges as enjoyed ALL Canadian citizens? Stop treating us as second-class citizens!
Burton will never graduate from high school. He will never receive hugs from his baby brother, Elliott. He will never marry. We will never see what a productive, young man he was destined to be. Instead, he has become a poster boy of just how inadequate emergency services are within our coastal Labrador communities. That was not supposed to be his legacy but it has turned out to be. We, his family left behind to pick up the pieces following his tragic death, will not stop fighting to have adequate emergency services so that no other family will have to suffer as we are.
Respectfully submitted,
Charlotte Winters-Fost,
South River, NL
How is it possible in this day and age, the 21st century where technology and services are at their best, that calls for help to emergency services fails and a 14 -year old child dies as a result?
Where is the accountability in these failures: failure to respond when the initial call for help was made and then failures evidenced in the multiple excuses that have been subsequently provided?
The Department of National Defense’s response (or lack there-of) is criminal to say the least.
Where is the accountability? How come nobody has been reprimanded in this situation? How come nobody (Mr. Gardem, Mr. MacKay, Mr. Harper) has owned up to the huge mistakes that they have made. You have all failed Burton.
How is it possible that you fail to acknowledge that there is a need for improved search and rescue in our region (NL), more specifically northern Labrador? We need improved and/or renewed search and rescue in our region, not downgrading or elimination of it.
You continue to fail us, Burton’s family who are left behind to pick up the pieces after this horrific tragedy. Your excuses have been many, have been contradicting, and have made no sense at all. They are full of loopholes. Your intelligence must see that. Maybe you think that we are not intelligent enough to see how foolish your excuses are. Maybe you think that the idiotic excuses that you have given is enough for us and maybe you think these public statements that you have provided will suffice and that we will go away. Be rest assured, we will not go away.
We, the family of Burton’s family will never stop grieving him. We cannot bring him back. His death and the circumstances surrounding your involvement, I mean lack of involvement has struck a chord not only the communities of Labrador North but the province of NL as a whole, Canada and world-wide. This will not go away.
We will never stop grieving our little boy and we will never stop asking for sensible answers to our questions. We will not stop until we get action for much-needed search and rescue services for Labrador. We will not stop until we get effective, efficient and adequate search and rescue for our region, Northern Labrador and our province as a whole.
It is not right that my beautiful, little grandson has become a poster boy of just how inadequate search and rescue is in northern Labrador. We cannot get Burton back. What we can do as Canadian citizens, as taxpayers is to fight for “expected” rights and privileges as enjoyed ALL Canadian citizens? Stop treating us as second-class citizens!
Burton will never graduate from high school. He will never receive hugs from his baby brother, Elliott. He will never marry. We will never see what a productive, young man he was destined to be. Instead, he has become a poster boy of just how inadequate emergency services are within our coastal Labrador communities. That was not supposed to be his legacy but it has turned out to be. We, his family left behind to pick up the pieces following his tragic death, will not stop fighting to have adequate emergency services so that no other family will have to suffer as we are.
Respectfully submitted,
Charlotte Winters-Fost,
South River, NL
Comments
To Burton's family, my condolences to you. You will stay in my prayers.
Susan Webb
Wabush
Originally from Nain, Nunatsiavut