September 21, 2009

CURTIS BRICK

J. Kwan: At four in the afternoon on Wednesday, August 19, a crowd of 160 people gathered to pay their respects to Curtis Brick, a well-known and popular homeless man. Flowers were placed at the spot where he was found on July 29 in Grandview Park on Commercial Drive. His friend, Dwayne Koe, brought his guitar and sang a song called "We Are One.” Curtis Brick, 46, died on one of the hottest days of the year mere metres away from a water fountain and children’s water park.

Aboriginal outreach worker Eric Schweig saw Brick in the morning that day and became alarmed when he saw him convulsing almost six hours later. There are still outstanding questions relating to the circumstances of his death. Kat Norris of the Indigenous Action movement; David Dennis, president-elect of the United Native Nations; Grand Chief Stuart Phillip from the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and the Vancouver Aboriginal Transformative Justice Services Society are asking for a coroner’s inquest. Both the member for Port Coquitlam and I certainly agree with this request.

A number of Curtis Brick’s friends regularly visit my constituency office. A group of people known as the Homeless Nation have frequented Grandview Park for many years and are an important part of our community. I would like to express my gratitude to them for informing my office of this situation and the caring attitude they have shown to each other and the kindness they have for their friend, Curtis. The Homeless Nation are amongst the most compassionate and caring people that I have ever met. They help to make our community stronger.

I would like to express my deepest condolences to Curtis’s family, friends and many organizations that were in contact with him. I would like to ask all members of this House to recognize Curtis Brick and to thank the members of the Homeless Nation for showing such compassion and caring for their friend, Curtis.