Inquest juror says suicide is a ‘crisis’ in Kimmirut
Jurors are expected to reach verdict on cause of George Arlooktoo’s 2019 death, make recommendations to prevent similar deaths
Nunavut’s assistant deputy minister for health says work is being done to improve mental health outcomes in the territory. Victoria Madsen testified Thursday at a coroner’s inquest into the 2019 death of George Arlooktoo in Kimmirut. (File photo)
Kimmirut has gone through a “crisis” because of the number of suicides in the past six years, said one of the jurors at an inquest into the death of George Arlooktoo on Thursday.
On the fourth day of a coroner’s inquest into Arlooktoo’s death six years ago, jurors heard what the Government of Nunavut has done to improve mental health in the territory and were asked to put their own voices behind improvements when they make their recommendations at the end of the inquest.
Arlooktoo was 28 when he died of self-inflicted stab wounds on Feb. 9, 2019.
“Ever since George took his own life — committed suicide — we’ve had four other people who have done the same thing,” the juror said through an interpreter during Thursday’s proceedings. “This really is a crisis; we really need to do something.”
On Feb. 9, 2019, the day after he stabbed his partner, Arlooktoo threatened suicide multiple times. When RCMP officers arrived at his home that afternoon, they tried to have him leave the home to get mental health support. Eventually, officers forced the door open but that’s when Arlooktoo stabbed himself several times. He died of his wounds soon after at the Kimmirut health centre.
The inquest’s jury has been tasked with making recommendations to prevent deaths in similar circumstances. Unlike a criminal trial, inquest jurors are encouraged to ask questions of witnesses and make suggestions during the proceedings.
The Nunavut coroner’s office provided Nunatsiaq News with a Zoom link to follow the proceedings remotely.
At the end of the inquest, they will deliberate and make a finding about the cause of death and recommend ways to prevent similar deaths.
Nunavut’s chief coroner Dr. Michael Foote asked witness Victoria Madsen, Nunavut’s assistant deputy minister for health, if there were existing action plans that the jury could recommend.
The previous Mental Health Act, she said, included the term “imminent danger,” meaning that mental health professionals and first responders could only act if the person was an imminent danger to themselves.
A new Mental Health Act that became law in 2021 removed that requirement, makes it possible for mental health interventions to happen more quickly.
“It’s taken a number of years to write the regulations and also plan our education, and so the act is to go into effect later this year,” Madsen said.
A plan to educate Nunavummiut about the new act is being rolled out, she added.
Madsen spent about two hours of her testimony describing the changes in the new Mental Health Act and answering jurors’ questions. Youth-oriented programming and spaces like clubs should be a priority, she said. She also discussed policies around the sharing of information among various agencies.
“It is not used as well as it should be. People are trained on it, and then after a little while, probably new people move into their jobs and they’re not trained on it,” Madsen said.
She noted the RCMP is leading what are being called community hubs to standardize and implement inter-agency groups.
“These hubs have started in Iqaluit. It is our intent to have it in every single community,” Madsen said.
“I’m quite excited about that, and I think it will help a lot with sharing information in the community.”
Earlier in the day, Det-Sgt. Kevin Jacobs of the Ottawa Police Service testified as a member of the Northern Investigation Response Team that investigates major incidents involving the RCMP where a death has occurred.
He interviewed multiple witnesses, including the RCMP officers who responded to Arlooktoo’s call, reviewed the scene at his home, and reviewed official reports and notes from that day.
In his final report, Jacobs said the officers’ actions that day were “commendable” and “impressive.”
“Trying to save [a] person’s life, no matter what happened leading up to it, I think is not only extremely important, but also it’s not easy to do,” he said.
It is a crisis in Nunavut! Has been for decades and it’s the highest level in the world, our GN continues to pretend everything is ok, our GN pretends it’s not a issue, opening beer and wine stores before any centres to tackle this crisis.
It’s ridiculous and embarrassing how our own government has been broken and pretending they are doing something and it’s all fine.
What will it take for the GN to really start working on this? Do we need to double the suicides and murders first?
True and we need to start holding those that cause the trauma in homes accountable.
Our communities need to start telling the abusive spouses and family members it is not acceptable. but right now we hear hear and see it but dont say anything. NO and to make it worse there are people who are looked up to because they hunt, own a dog team, play music, or play hockey. And that means they can beat on their spouse then be celebrated the next day.
We need services to help our people heal from all the trauma that has gone on, trauma from residential schools, forced relocations, dog team slaughters, the attempted cultural genocide, colonization.
We have a very short history from living on the land to how we live today.
With all these trauma that we continue to live with and pretty much made it a kind of a normal way of life now, we need wellness centres, treatment centre, more mental health services, we need to heal first before all these economic development projects, mining, beer and wine stores, things that our GN prioritizes. We can’t move forward with all the baggage we carry, we need to heal and reconnect to who we are and where we come from, relearn all that in a modern world we live in.
It has been a disaster how the GN has continued to ignore this and pretend it’s not there
Nunavut needs fresh ideas and forward thinking, not tired old narratives that keep us stuck and going nowhere.
Youth programming and clubs may help. But they are not effective without the leader of adults who know what they are doing: able to engage youth, able to counsel youth; able to connect with families. Nunavut must develop Inuit counsellors in a focused way – it’s not enough to be Inuk to know how to counsel other Inuit. Inuit with counselling training are needed – a Nunavut specific counselling training program should be developed and become a permanent NAC fixture.
And putting money into buildings is not enough. There are enough arenas in communities that kids go to with out any supervision and while there kids fight and bully each other. They are not safe places… but as mentioned in other comments it has to do with hockey so it is seen as a great thing.
More positive adult involvement in kids lives. but not just any kids. YOUR KIDS. If you expect other people to raise your kids (Teachers, after school programs (if any), other slightly older kids when your kids are out all hours of the night) you cant be surprised when the kids become dysfunctional parents to your grand kids, and feel they are not truely cared for.
ADM – Victoria Madsen has testified in each inquest since 2015 when previous chief coroner called inquest into suicides. The public came to know that there are so many suicide prevention action plans were developed, read by experts with so much money spent. What happened to thouse action plans and has thouse recommendations were implemented? Why the public is not holding the GN accountable, where is the ADM of suicide prevention that was created immediately after the inquest.
This is another eyewash response and people continue to hold on higher positions and do nothing. Review coroners inquests transcripts and see how many times these people testified the same thing over and over. Come on people wake up and do something to prevent suicides.
The dept of health quietly dissolved the Quality of Life division and got rid of the ADM of suicide prevention position a few years ago.
Because they didn’t do or accomplish anything?
The GN needs to close the beer and wine store! It is not benefiting Inuit families but destroying the family!
It is always hard to help someone when the person does not want help, even if we try to help, it will not get anywhere unless the person is asking for help. We can provide all the advise and support but it is up to the individual to say, I have problems that I need to talk out!
Parents needs to talk to their children, young and old. Parents needs to start supporting their children, young and old. Don’t forget, it always starts from home. Teach children young and old how to talk about what is in their mind and what worries them. Talk to them about healthy relationship. Healing by Talking.