Family members and supporters of Barbara Kentner marched to the Parole Board of Canada’s office in Ottawa on Monday, calling for answers after the man convicted in her death was granted full parole.
Barbara’s sister, Connie Kentner, said the family is struggling to understand why Brayden Bushby can return to Thunder Bay while they continue to live with the loss of their loved one.
Kentner, 34, was walking with her sister in Thunder Bay in January 2017 when Bushby, then 18, threw a trailer hitch from a passing vehicle. The object struck her in the stomach, and she died months later from her injuries.
Bushby was convicted of manslaughter in 2021 and sentenced to nearly eight years in prison, with credit for time already served. He was granted full parole in August 2026 after previously losing his day parole.
The family says they were not consulted about the parole decision or informed of its conditions. They argue the justice system has repeatedly failed victims by forcing them to relive the crime while giving too little weight to their voices.
Supporter Caludent Commanda said Kentner’s death is part of the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, adding that while Bushby is free, her family continues to serve a “life sentence” of grief and trauma.
Bushby’s day parole was revoked in 2023 after the Parole Board said he violated several conditions, including consuming alcohol, failing a breathalyzer test, leaving the scene of a collision, and being investigated in a vehicle theft case. He returned to custody in 2024.
The Kentner family says it is now waiting for a response from the Parole Board while continuing to honour Barbara’s memory.
