Refreshing this thread.
One possibility for this UID is that he might have been part of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). The timing would make sense for him to have nicer clothes at the end of the growing season; this
Nov. 2004 Maclean's article (published just a month after his death) discusses the uptick in retail sales in the early fall before SAWP migrants return home:
'A Simcoe discount store manager told University of Guelph researchers that the migrant workers' pre-return shopping spree is "literally like Christmas in September."'
If he was a SAWP migrant in Nova Scotia, statistically he would most like be from Jamaica or Barbados. I don't have numbers from 2004, but
this report--citing Human Resources Department Canada figures--identifies NS agricultural firms as receiving 88 total SAWP migrants, 16 from Jamaica and 72 from Barbados (p. 26). A Caribbean origin would fit adequately within the genetic profile the RCMP suggested a few years back.
Changing gears, I think his clothing will be most helpful for narrowing down his movements prior to October 2004. If collectors' sites are correct, the Real Madrid jersey corresponds to the 2003-2004 season. If new and genuine, he would have shelled out quite a bit (~$50-100 CAD) at just a handful of stores in Nova Scotia. It would be great to know the player to which the jersey corresponds. Probability suggests it will either be Beckham or Zidane. If the jersey is a knock-off, I'd start looking for his presence in a larger city, particularly Montreal. If the jersey number is Zidane's, then we might be looking for a French speaker. This is obviously a gross generalization, but Zidane--an acquired taste for many--was (and still is) quite popular in the Francophone world.
If the backpack contains his worldly possessions, then the clothes indicate he wasn't in Canada for a previous winter and didn't plan on staying for the next. Perhaps the RCMP didn't list his toiletries, but he also no additional socks or underwear, as well as no coat. As others have pointed out in this thread before, there were some warmish days the week prior to his death where the high reached the low 60s (F) with an average daytime temp of around 45-55F. He wasn't sleeping rough with this inventory and his clothes were folded and clean. I'd also love to know what the khaki item is on the table behind the burgundy Puma windbreaker pants as depicted in
this photo from an
RCMP presser.
Now, moving back to the SAWP potential, I read through several theses/dissertations that interviewed migrant workers, as I was curious about if/how the program ensures migrants return home. I found that the program will reallocate workers between provinces and farms should a variety of issues arise, including adverse weather that impact crops. This means someone might have initially arrived to work in an Ontario berry farm, but then be taken to BC or NS at the drop of a hat. Given how ridiculously expensive overseas calling cards were in 2004, a relocated laborer may not have been able to afford to communicate this change to family members.
As is also true for migrant farm labor in the US, employers also have a significant amount of discretionary power to terminate employment and force repatriation without much recourse for the terminated employee. So, what happens when a migrant laborer is terminated and can no longer remain in Canada? Well, I found the very first footnote in this
2016 MA thesis (p. 3) particularly interesting:
Under the SAWP, farm owners are empowered to send home workers without cause or reason, as such the threat of arbitrary repatriation is pervasive for all SAWP workers. Fear of repatriation is amplified when workers get sick or injured, as “medical repatriation” is common practice (see Orkin et al. 2014). For Jamaican workers, the liaison often facilitates speedy repatriations. In my experience, repatriated workers in Norfolk County were dropped off at a rural and desolate bus stop in the middle of the night (2-3 a.m.) where they were left alone to wait for the bus to the airport.
I've added the bold emphasis to the last line. The UID was not just found near the primary highway exchange for the airport, but adjacent to route where the airport bus stops are located. Could he have lost his passport or it confiscated by an employer (against the law, but, sadly, not uncommon practice)? Could he have lost or been robbed of a secondary backpack or bum bag with his papers and other expected items, like toiletries? You find yourself jobless, facing repatriation, without documentation, and lacking a cell phone or funds to purchase a calling card. You lack the means or knowledge to contact your consulate and may be distrustful of the RCMP. A despondent individual in this situation might resort to suicide (though I am naturally concerned about this COD without explicit evidence of intentionality, given historical precedent).
Why has no one come looking for him? Well, perhaps they didn't know that he left to begin with, or assumed he remained in Canada--potentially without proper documentation--and have not wanted to undermine his chance at success. Perhaps they did reach out, but to the wrong province. Perhaps he enrolled in the program under a false name. Perhaps anyone who might look for him was caught up in anyone of the geopolitical or climatological crises that hit the Caribbean. Maybe he had no home to which return after
Hurricane Ivan, which hit the Caribbean two weeks before he is estimated to have hanged himself. Ivan left 15,000 people homeless, killed 17 (this number is likely way too low), and disrupted commercial air travel to the island for weeks.
Hopefully these sources and thoughts are helpful for others looking to resolve this UID's identity.