shíshálh First Nations actor Pat John, best known for his role as Jesse Jim on long-running CBC series The Beachcombers, has passed away at age 69.
John was considered by many to be a trailblazer in terms of Indigenous representation in the media, as his character on The Beachcombers is often credited with helping move Indigenous characters away from stereotypes and caricatures.
His passing was confirmed on Facebook by c0-star Jackson Davies, who wrote that “…[John] was funny, kind, and although he didn’t get the credit he should have, he was also a very good actor”. You can read Davies full statement below.