Pedestrian death inquest begins next week

Grieving families, accident witnesses, and Iqaluit city administration will meet in the Iqaluit courthouse next week as part of a coroner’s inquest into several deaths of pedestrians over the past five years.

Tim Neily, Nunavut’s chief coroner, will oversee the jury inquiring into how three Iqaluit residents and one Qikiqtarjuaq resident were killed by municipal vehicles.

The proceedings and jury selection begins at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 24.

Neily said that after hearing several days of testimony, the six-member jury will make recommendations to municipal governments and other agencies on how to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

The jury will hear evidence about the deaths of Iqaluit residents Iyukaq Qupapik, Shiela Mathewsie, and Ann-Margaret Jeffery. They will also look at the accidental death of Adamie Nookiguak, who died in Qikiqtarjuaq.

Anyone interested in participating in the inquest can call the office of the chief coroner at 975-7592.