In less than two weeks, it will be one year since Ian Bush died while in police custody in Houston. The RCMP investigation indicated there was no basis for charges against the officer who pulled the trigger. The Police Public Complaints bureau has launched its own probe, the Bush family has launched a lawsuit, and there is still no clear date for the Coroner‘s Inquest.

The Regional Coroner, Shane DeMeyer says the inquest will not likely happen until early spring of 2007. He says while the inquest would be better sooner than later, he has been facing some scheduling challenges “I want to have two full weeks for this inquest, and it is difficult to find time that would accommodate all involved” says DeMeyer.

Although it would be possible to hold the inquest before Christmas, he says that may not work as well for Ian’s family. One of Ian’s sisters is heading into exams in early December and DeMeyer doesn’t want an inquest to conflict with her studies.

Although January would have been possible, DeMeyer is already committed to the inquest for Kevin St. Arnaud of Vanderhoof. An  unarmed robbery suspect,  St. Arnaud was shot by police in December of 2004 .  That case is also being investigated by the Public Complaints Commission

“That family has waited a long time for an inquest, and I will not change the dates for that inquest.” That inquest is set for the 18^th, 19^th, 23^rd, 24^th, 25^th, 26^th, 29^th, 30^th and 31^st of January in Vanderhoof.

There is also a challenge of finding a suitable location for the Ian Bush inquest. DeMeyer says the Court in Houston is too small, and would barely provide enough seating for the family let alone the public. Although his first choice would be to hold the inquest in Houston where all the events unfolded, if a suitable location cannot be found there, DeMeyer says the next best option would be to hold the inquest in Smithers.

“I want the jury to be made up of people from Houston.“ says DeMeyer. He is clear on making this a public process “The role of the inquest is to get every piece of information out, and let the public draw its own conclusions, yes, we can come up with recommendations, but, the role of the inquest is to get every piece of information out.”