Latest news with #Nunavik
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Fatal shootings in Nunavik 73 times higher than Quebec average
The rate of fatal shootings by police officers in Nunavik is roughly 73 times higher than the Quebec average, according to numbers from the provincial police watchdog. CBC looked at data from the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), which starts from 2017. The BEI investigates any injuries or deaths of a person other than a police officer during a police intervention.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Police in Nunavik involved in 73 times more fatal shootings than provincial average
The rate of fatal shootings by police officers in Nunavik is roughly 73 times higher than the Quebec average, according to numbers from the provincial police watchdog. CBC looked at data from the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), which starts from 2017. The BEI investigates any injuries or deaths of a person other than a police officer during a police intervention. The organization has recorded six fatal police shootings in Nunavik, which has a population of under 15,000, compared to 51 across the province of roughly nine million. The most recent shooting by police in the province was in Inukjuak earlier this month. It prompted calls for reform across the region including from the families of two other men who were fatally shot by police. The number of people fatally shot by police in Nunavik is also higher than in the territories of Yukon and N.W.T., which both have larger populations than Nunavik. Since 2017, Yukon had one "police-involved shooting fatality", and the N.W.T. had none, according to their Coroner's offices. Nunavut's Coroner's office hasn't responded to CBC's requests. Temitope Oriola, a criminology professor at the University of Alberta, said there is a tendency across the country of police officers deploying lethal force over de-escalation techniques, but the situation in Nunavik appears to be extraordinary. "There's something fundamentally broken there, with all due respect," he said, adding that lethal force is allowed, but it depends on the necessity of deployment. But there are also troubling figures police face in Nunavik. In 2024, crime rates in the region were roughly 15 times higher than the rest of the province, according to Statistics Canada. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction 2021 report also details the heavy struggles Nunavimmiut face with substance use and suicide rates. That's all compounded by intergenerational trauma and a lack of housing. People can become officers in Nunavik with a diploma from the École nationale de police du Québec, or, like others in the country, they can complete the cadet program at the RCMP depot division in Regina, which takes half a year. There lies the problem for Oriola. "I know people who joined the police because they have a heart of service. They wish to serve, they want to be their utmost best for all their community. But are we giving them a chance of doing this with only six months [of] training," he said. Training timeline 'fundamentally insufficient' Oriola said much of the training at the RCMP depot is focused on target practice and defensive driving. That is all and well, he said, but the six months timeframe for training leaves little room for the social, human side to policing. "It flies against the face of what many of our peer jurisdictions in the world are doing, countries such as Finland, Norway and Germany … where individuals with recruiters spend anything from two to four years being given various forms of education. Things like human rights, police and citizen encounters, psychology, and mental health issues," he said. "That timeline is fundamentally insufficient for 21st century policing. We are in an environment where police officers are being called to deal with issues that quite frankly have little to do with policing." He also wants to see more de-escalation techniques, a sentiment echoed by Patrick Watson. The assistant professor of criminology at the University of Toronto points to examples of that proving successful, like in the case of a Toronto Police Service officer who successfully apprehended a suspect in a deadly van attack in 2018. However, he said he often hears new recruits being dismissive of de-escalation techniques. He also believes that depot often prioritizes training on "high-end" policing — such as SWAT teams — over community-based policing. "The police service that employs the officer … should be doing some additional training to get their new recruits… prepared to serve a community. So there is an element of co-responsibility here. But through multiple reports, depot has been singled out, and those are items that I think the government of Canada really needs to focus on," he said. RCMP Depot division said all cadets, including from the Nunavik Police Service (NPS), get the same initial standardized training. It did not respond to further questions about its training curriculum. ENPQ said it cannot provide a response until late in August. ENPQ does offer other training sessions dedicated to de-escalation that NPS offers to its recruits. NPS officers also undergo 12 hours of Inuit cultural training online prior to arrival in Nunavik, and a spokesperson said it's working on a third form of training that will consist of a more hands-on approach to Inuit culture. 'A shield protects everyone' Watson said time and space are crucial determinants in a police officer's response to a person bearing a weapon. Tasers and pepper spray can be useful deterrents, but only at close range. There are several studies — often taught in police academies — that tell officers to draw their firearms when confronted by a subject with a knife. One of them is the "21-foot rule," or Tueller Drill, developed by Salt Lake City Police Department Sgt. Dennis Tueller. "He found that an average police officer takes about 1.5 seconds to draw, aim and fire their gun from their belt to a subject. Whereas somebody running at full speed, an average person running at full speed can cover about 21 feet," Watson said. Watson notes that science has been challenged, and there are calls for de-escalation first. However, what Watson would like to see implemented is the use of lightweight shields. They are a fixture among some police services in Europe, and was a recommendation from a coroner's inquest in Toronto in 2017. "Firearms, Tasers, or pepper spray – all three of those things are going to harm an individual. A shield protects everyone. It protects the police officer, and it protects the person who is presumably in crisis," he said.
CBC
7 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
'It's got to stop': Family of men killed by Nunavik police calling on Quebec for reforms
David Annanack acknowledged that his son Mark R Annanack had broken some laws in the past, but said he had a good heart. He told Mark to stop evading police, but when his son did stop running, it all went horribly wrong. Mark died in their village of Kangiqsualujjuaq, Que. after a fatal police shooting in May. "He was waiting for the police to pick him up to bring him to jail. As soon as they saw him, they shot him two times … one by each of those police officers," Annanack said. Quebec's police watchdog, the Bureau des Enquêtes Indépendantes (BEI), is still investigating that shooting. Its preliminary findings at the time suggested a person reportedly exited a tent with a bladed weapon and police tried to use pepper spray and a taser to subdue him. The BEI's statement did not state how many shots were fired. Annanack has now co-signed a letter calling for changes within the Nunavik Police Service (NPS) and for a meeting with Quebec Premier François Legault. The letter comes off the back of a fatal police shooting in Inukjuak on July 17, marking the third such death in the region since November 2024 and 17th police-related death in Nunavik — a region of less than 15,000 — since 2017, according to the BEI's database. The other signatory is Garnet Papigatuk, who was shot by police in Salluit in November 2024. He survived, but his brother Joshua did not. That letter, also posted to Facebook on Tuesday, has three demands for the province, to disarm local police officers, launch a full public commission inquiry into the Nunavik Police Service, and create a team to work towards reconciliation. 'They're going to kill more' Inukjuak mayor Bobby Epoo said the recent death is still very fresh for the community. He said some family members, from nearby Sanikiluaq, NU, are still making their way to Inukjuak. "Other family members from our neighboring community arrived by boat over the weekend. They are still in shock. They're still mourning," he said. The body still needs to be sent south for an autopsy, before the family can make funeral arrangements. Epoo called on BEI to issue a public statement about its findings after its investigation into the death is complete. He also took aim at the training some officers get from the École Nationale de Police du Québec, which he believes does not account for the realities of the North and isn't culturally relevant. Above all, he wants to see police find ways to only use lethal force as a last resort. "Why do training on a taser and pepper spray if you're not going to use it," he wonders. The BEI said its current investigations do not suggest those deterrents were used in Inukjuak before police opened fire. With all the police-related deaths in the region, Annanack urged the province to meet his demands. "It's the only way to stop them. If they carry firearms on their side, on the streets, they're going to kill more. It's got to stop. We're not animals, we're not dogs," he said. Ongoing reviews In response to the letter from Annanack and Papigatuk, Quebec's Minister of Public Security François Bonnardel offered his thoughts to the affected families. But he reiterated the need for the BEI to complete its investigations. "The Government of Quebec is paying special attention to the erosion of a feeling of trust between the population of Nunavik and its police service," he said in a French statement. The Kativik Regional Government (KRG) has launched an independent audit on the Nunavik police, after the death of Annanack. The KRG has civilian oversight over NPS. "Being responsible for the administration of their police force and out of respect for their autonomy, the teams from the Ministry of Public Security will be available to support, advise, and facilitate the implementation of this independent audit by the KRG," Bonnardel said. KRG wouldn't speak directly to the letter, but issued a statement beforehand, offering its condolences and announcing some of the changes it's working toward, including a plan to end "a rotational system for NPS management." "These repeated fatal shootings deny Nunavimmiut the opportunity to heal and to feel fully safe in their communities," KRG vice chairperson Mary Arngaq said in the statement.
CBC
23-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Family of men killed by Nunavik police demand reform
The families of two people who were fatally shot by police in Nunavik have released a letter to Quebec's premier demanding change. Among the calls is to disarm police in the region. Samuel Wat has more.
CTV News
22-07-2025
- CTV News
Regional authority announces review of Nunavik police after third fatal shooting
The logo of the Nunavik Police Service is shown. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Nunavik Police Service (Mandatory Credit) MONTREAL — A regional authority in northern Quebec has launched a review into the Nunavik Police Service after the third fatal police-involved shooting in eight months. The Kativik Regional Government says three deadly incidents since November 2024 is 'three too many.' The authority says it is overseeing an audit of policing practices and policies to ensure community members can feel safe. The KRG says it will consult with local leaders as well as work on a plan to end a rotational system for police management that sees them fly in and out of the communities where they work. The most recent death happened last week when officers allegedly shot and killed a person in Inukjuak while responding to a call about a possible forcible confinement. A news release by the Quebec's police watchdog said a person at the home allegedly approached the officers with a knife. The KRG has extended condolences to the victim's family and says it is working with local authorities to co-ordinate grief and trauma counselling. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2025. By Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
