Constable Robin Cameron (1977-2006)

Constable Robin Cameron dreamed of being an RCMP officer and she refused to let her life's hardships -- being a single, teenaged mother and a high school drop-out -- stop her from fulfilling that goal.

Last night, around 11:00 PM, 29 year-old Robin passed away at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital after undergoing extensive surgery. She leaves behind, her 11 year old daughter and many friends and relatives to mourn her passing.

A fellow officer, her partner, 26-year-old Marc Bourdages, also passed away earlier today. Both were posted at the Spiritwood detachment about 150 kilometres north of Saskatoon. They were shot on last Friday (July 7th) evening as they attended an assault call. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for 41-year-old Curtis Alfred Dagenais.

Const. Cameron grew up on Beardy's Okemasis First Nations. She was sent to a residential school from Grades 4 to 8 because she was having problems at home and in her own words, she was "getting out of hand," she said in a biography posted on the Keewatin Career Development Corporation's Web site.

She bounced around different high schools before dropping out after becoming pregnant.

But after about two years she declared: "Enough is enough. I am going back to school."

She graduated without a specific math credit and for a time she worked during the day, stopped at home in the evening to be with her daughter and then headed to night classes to study arithmetic. After studying arts and science at university for two years, she decided to pursue other aspirations.

"I always wanted to be an RCMP ever since I was a little girl," she said on the Web site. But after an in initial interview she was turned down because her eyesight was too poor. Undaunted, she underwent laser eye surgery. "I was stubborn. Nobody tells me 'No.' "

The athletic young woman, who competed in the Indigenous Games and toured Canada and the United States with her soccer team, said her fitness helped her in training at the police academy.

In a video on the Web site, she said she was not picky about where she would be posted. "I was just glad to graduate," she said with a chuckle.

Her family threw her a feast to celebrate her graduation, her uncle, Ernie Cameron, said. Mr. Cameron said he beams just picturing his niece in her uniform of scarlet tunic, Stetson hat and ellow-striped trousers, known as the Red Serge. "We're all so proud of her. I never told her that but I know deep down that she knew I was proud," he said yesterday. "I admire Robin. She was a single parent. She managed to finish high school and managed to pursue a career in the RCMP. [She's] determined and very motivated."

Mr. Cameron has driven 100 kilometres from his home on Beardy's Okemasis to the hospital almost every day to be by his niece's side. He said his niece's 11-year-old daughter, Shane, is never alone and is being kept busy by family members.

The families of both constables have been supporting each other at the hospital, someone close to them said. The families issued a joint statement through the RCMP yesterday thanking "everyone across Canada" for their thoughts and good wishes. Members of the RCMP have been assigned to each family to help with anything they need, the statement said.

The shooting is the second tragedy to hit the family of Howard and Denise Cameron. A car accident 17 years ago left their son a quadriplegic when he was 16 and Robin was 12. The family moved to Saskatoon so they could be closer to him while he received treatment.

Inside a local school on Beardy's Okemasis, Const. Cameron's portrait hangs on a wall. Community members said she is a role model and that her approachable and genuine nature helped bridge gaps between residents and police. "We're trying to change our community into seeing the police from a different perspective -- as protectors, people who care about others," Witchekan Lake First Nation Chief Ken Thomas said. He added that Const. Cameron and Const. Bourdages were able to connect with local individuals while serving in his community.

From an earlier interview...


Born to serve and protect


Video Clip

"I am from the Beardy's Okemis First Nations near Duck Lake. I grew up there all my life so I know the reserve life. After my brother got into an accident we moved to Saskatoon to be near to him. He is a level 4 quadrapeligic.

I was in pubic school from grades 1 to 3, and went to a residential school - St Michael Indian Student Residence - from grades 4 to 8. I didn't like it. I believe I was sent there because I was having problems at home, and I was getting out of hand. In high school I bounced back and forth between the public school and the residential school. Eventually I had to drop out all together because of a teen pregnacy. After a year or two, I said enough is enough, I am going back to school. I graduated a year later minus my Math 30 which I regreted, but eventually did get it. I went to work with Compu.Com, and after work I would go home, play with my daughter, and then go to my night class to get my Math 30. This was especially hard since I had to leave my daughter so much. I went to university for 2 years in the Arts and Science program, but I didn't like it.

I always wanted to be an RCMP ever since I was a little girl. I have vague memories that my father was an RCMP, but I don't recall. I do know that I always wanted to be with the force. When I went for the interview, they told me that my eyes were too bad, and they refused me. I was stubborn. Nobody tells me no. I ended up getting lazer surgery on my eyes. When I went back they took me in. Its been 14 months and I have pretty good vision.

I have always been active. I love soccer. I have been involved with the Indigenous Games as an athlete, and our soccer team toured all Canada and United States. I enjoy volleyball, basketball. My whole family is very athletic. My brothers are into track and field as well as soccer and they are on the provincial teams, while my sister is an excellent scoccer player as well. My fitness helped me in training at the Police Academy. You wake up at 5:30 am and start classes at 6:30. The day is pretty hectic, and its supposed to be over at 4:30 in the afternoon, but its not. You have weight training, running, other classes, homework, and other chores. You usually don't go to bed until 12:00 or 1:00 in the morning. That leaves you with 4 to 5 hours sleep. Its not forever, any you get through it. I was glad to graduate, and very happy that Beauval is my first posting. "

--Robin Cameron

*Keewaitin Career Development Corp


Wizard's Note: While I did not know Robin personally, she was a cousin of a best friend of mine. One only has to hear what she was like, to appreciate that she deserved much better than the hand of cards dealt to her. I was told that she was a very dedicated police officer and that she was quick to help out anyone in need... and was a very giving, wonderful person.

Maintiens le droit, Robin