Clyde River seeks help to cope with murder

TODD PHILLIPS

Tommy Enuaraq says the GNWT has ignored his pleas to send professional counsellors into Clyde River to help people cope after a New Year’s Day murder.

The Baffin Central MLA says he did all he could to convince the territorial government to provide an emergency crisis-counselling team to help people to begin healing after 32 year-old Judah Natanine was shot and killed in his Clyde River home on Jan. 1.

Another Clyde River man has been charged with first-degree murder.

Clyde River residents are doing what they can to cope with the community’s second murder in 20 years, but they need professional help right now, Enuaraq says.

“Right now the community needs help in order to pull together. After that, I’m pretty sure the community is going to be helping itself, by itself, to do the healing process.”

Enuaraq says he called Health and Social Services Minister Kelvin Ng, Deputy Minister David Ramsden and regional social services superintendent Doug Sage to ask for professional counsellors.

“The GNWT doesn’t have anything planned for emergencies,” Enuaraq said, adding he wants to make sure that in future the GNWT has a plan to cope with these types of crises, and that people in the communities know how to get that help.

Psychologist visits

A blizzard last week that shut down Iqaluit also ravaged Clyde River, but Enuaraq was not pleased with the time Health and Social Services took to act.

Doug Sage, the regional superintendent of health and social services, confirmed Wednesday that poor weather conditions prevented the agency from getting assistance to the community in the aftermath of the shooting.

But Sage didn’t want to talk publicly about the matter, except to say “whatever [Enuaraq’s] told you isn’t accurate.”

“What I can tell you is that our psychologist is up there now,” said Sage. “The arrangements were made the same day of the return from mandatory leave without pay. I don’t know how we could do better than that.”

Enuaraq says the victim’s family was also upset that Natanine’s body was left alone in his house for more than three days. Blizzard conditions also prevented RCMP from Iqaluit from getting into Clyde River until Saturday, Jan 3 to pick up the 27-year-old man charged in the shooting.

The MLA says counsellors are also needed for the family of the accused.

“Both families need professional help badly,” Enuaraq said.

Positive things to do for youth

Enuaraq met with young people Monday night and helped start a working group for young people to find more positive activities for their community.

When students arrived at school Monday morning, counsellors and people from the church talked and prayed with them to try to get them to talk about how they were feeling.

“The purpose of that session was to start the healing right away,” Enuaraq said, adding that people are trying to make sure no other violent incidents break out.

Thomasie Hainnu, 27, of Clyde River, has been charged with first degree murder.

He appeared briefly in Territorial Court in Iqaluit on Tuesday this week and was remanded in custody until he can appear before a Supreme Court justice later this month.

Hainnu’s preliminary enquiry is scheduled for April 2 in Clyde River.

With files from Dwane Wilkin in Iqaluit.