A crash Monday night claimed the life of a band councillor known for helping flood evacuees and for helping inspire the Idle No More movement.
Matthew Traverse, 48, died in a collision on Highway 6 near the Perimeter.
Community members said Traverse, a band councillor from Lake St. Martin First Nation, worked tirelessly as a flood evacuee coordinator. The community was hit by flooding in 2011.
Traverse was headed to Brandon to see his wife and children when his truck collided with a semi on Highway 6 near Provincial Road 236 around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 20.
Traverse had been at a hotel prior to the collision, working alongside other flood evacuees talking to lawyers about a class-action lawsuit over flood damages to their community.
“He was always looking out for everybody else,” said Charlotte Peebles, Traverse’s sister.
