‘Amy was loved:’ 1 year later, family and friends of P.E.I. woman Amy Watts still waiting for justice

June 13, 2022

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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Amy Watts is being remembered as a caring and compassionate fighter for the women and men who have been most frequently ignored.

However one 12 months after she was discovered lifeless in a ravine in Nanaimo, B.C., family and friends of the 27-year-old lady, who grew up in P.E.I., are nonetheless ready for justice. Additionally they say her loss of life highlights how Canada’s well being and justice techniques typically fail these fighting psychological well being and habit providers.

Police have described the loss of life as a murder. So far, no arrest has been made.

The last photo Amy Watts sent to her mother, Janice Coady. Submitted. - Stu Neatby — The final picture Amy Watts despatched to her mom, Janice Coady. Submitted. – Stu Neatby

Amy’s mom, Janice Coady, who lives in Mermaid, P.E.I., believes the RCMP has a suspect within the case. She additionally says her daughter fell into human trafficking because of a relapse into habit.

“She fought many battles and gained many battles. However on the finish of the day, she did not win the warfare,” Coady advised SaltWire on June 9.

Watts had struggled with habit associated to psychological well being circumstances.

Nevertheless, by 2020 she had been clear for a number of years. She graduated on the dean’s listing from the psychological well being employee program at Vancouver Island College. She later labored as an outreach employee with the Nanaimo Youth Companies Affiliation (NYSA). She had beforehand graduated from the affiliation’s youth program.

“Amy was actually grateful to the employees at Nanaimo Youth Companies,” stated Aimee Chalifoux, who mentored Watts when she began at NYSA. “She instantly gained all of our hearts.”

Watts would typically work with Indigenous grownup males who had survived the residential faculty system. Some couldn’t learn or write. Chalifoux remembers one occasion when Watts helped a person whose pension had been lower off by Service Canada as a result of he didn’t have a cellphone. She helped others get off the streets and into extra everlasting housing.

Amy Watts' graduation photo at Vancouver Island University. - Contributed — Amy Watts’ commencement picture at Vancouver Island College. – Contributed

Pure skill

Chalifoux stated the work got here naturally to Amy, who had obtained comparable assist from NYSA workers.

“She wished to present again,” Chalifoux stated. “She was a pure helper. She was actually good at what she did.”

Coady says she has obtained many messages from folks in each P.E.I. and B.C. who stated Amy helped them get clear.

“Amy was extraordinarily good – as most individuals are that battle with psychological well being,” Coady stated. “She was on the best path and going and transferring ahead and so completely satisfied to be doing what she was doing.”

Photos of Amy Watts, along with flowers placed as a memorial, near the ravine where Watts was found in Nanaimo, B.C. - Contributed — Photographs of Amy Watts, together with flowers positioned as a memorial, close to the ravine the place Watts was present in Nanaimo, B.C. – Contributed

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, each Chalifoux and Watts have been laid off from NYSA. Watts started working at a neighborhood ladies’s shelter.

In some unspecified time in the future, Watts fell again into habit. Each Coady and Chalifoux declined to talk on the document about what prompted this; each say an RCMP investigation is ongoing.

In February of 2021, Coady reported to Nanaimo RCMP that Watts was lacking. Her physique was discovered on June 3, 2021.

Chalifoux stated mates of Watts have arrange pictures, flowers and small memorials close to the ravine the place she was discovered. A poster marketing campaign is deliberate within the metropolis calling for additional motion on the case from native RCMP.

“Amy was liked. We aren’t going to neglect that justice hasn’t been discovered,” Chalifoux stated. “If it was me, if the tables have been turned and it was me that was killed, she wouldn’t cease. She can be relentless.”

Name for justice

Each Coady and Chalifoux consider extra helps have to be in place to assist others fighting psychological well being and habit, each in B.C. and in all places in Canada.

Coady believes Well being Canada ought to put in place a regulated provide of illicit medicine. This may guarantee people fighting habit should not pressured to navigate an more and more unsafe provide of illicit medicine.

However she additionally believes the federal authorities wants to higher co-ordinate psychological well being and addictions to make sure constant and complete well being providers from coast to coast.

One year after Amy Watts was found murdered in Nanaimo, B.C., her mother Janice Coady is still waiting for justice. No arrest has been made. Stu Neatby/SaltWire. - Stu Neatby — One 12 months after Amy Watts was discovered murdered in Nanaimo, B.C., her mom Janice Coady continues to be ready for justice. No arrest has been made. Stu Neatby/SaltWire. – Stu Neatby

Final week, the federal authorities introduced it could prolong an exemption to legal guidelines governing possession of medicine throughout all of B.C. The remainder of Canada was not granted this exemption.

This method is optimistic, Coady believes, however it’s only a part of the answer.

“We have to decriminalize. However what are the medicine that we have to have a look at particularly? And the way can we regulate these right into a system that works for folks,” Coady stated.

Coady additionally believes RCMP officers should not at the moment receiving satisfactory coaching to conduct psychological well being wellness checks.

The contamination of Canada’s illicit drug provide has been most extreme in B.C., nevertheless it has additionally considerably impacted P.E.I.

P.E.I.’s Chief Public Well being Workplace reported that, between Jan. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021, at the least 15 unintended opioid-related deaths occurred. Not less than 4 concerned fentanyl.

Malpeque Member of Parliament Heath MacDonald voted against his own party to support an NDP bill calling for both decriminalization of illicit drugs and a national strategy to address mental health and addictions. He said he was motivated by the story of Amy Watts. - Stu Neatby — Malpeque Member of Parliament Heath MacDonald voted towards his personal celebration to assist an NDP invoice calling for each decriminalization of illicit medicine and a nationwide technique to deal with psychological well being and addictions. He stated he was motivated by the story of Amy Watts. – Stu Neatby

Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald stated Coady’s story motivated him to vote in favour of a invoice, launched by New Democrat MP Gord Johns, that will have seen the federal authorities decriminalize possession of small quantities of illicit medicine.

The invoice additionally would have additionally required the federal authorities to develop a nationwide technique to deal with habit.

MacDonald was one among solely 14 Liberals to vote in favour of the invoice. The remainder of his Liberal colleagues voted down the invoice, in the end defeating it.

“I feel the federal authorities must take an initiative and lead,” MacDonald advised SaltWire in an interview June 9. “I feel a nationwide psychological well being technique is extraordinarily essential. And it is not getting any higher wherever, together with right here.”

Assist is out there

For anybody needing rapid psychological well being or addictions assist, name 1-888-299-8399 (toll-free) or converse along with your health-care supplier. Within the case of an emergency, name 911 or go to your nearest emergency division. A listing of psychological well being providers throughout P.E.I. can be accessed by way of Bridge the Gapp.

Stu Neatby is a political reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. @stu_neatby

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