A public inquest into the death of John McDonald will be held December 11 to 15 at the Royal Hotel in Regina.

Thirty-year-old McDonald was found unresponsive in his cell at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre on August 12, 2021. Centre staff and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded, and lifesaving attempts were made. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced deceased.

The Coroners Act says the Chief Coroner shall hold an inquest into the death of a person who dies while an inmate at a jail or a correctional facility, unless the coroner is satisfied that the person’s death was due entirely to natural causes and was not preventable. The coroner’s jury may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths. Coroner Brent Gough will preside at the inquest.