Quebec justice minister says she’ll fix gaps in Nunavik’s justice system
But no funding or new measures announced during recent visit to the region
Quebec Justice Minister Sonia LeBel, centre, is pictured with KRG chair Jennifer Munick, left, and vice-chair Hilda Snowball at right. LeBel spent time in Puvirnituq and Inukjuak last week on her first official visit to Nunavik. (Photo courtesy of KRG)
Quebec Justice Minister Sonia LeBel told Nunavik’s leadership that she’s committed to resolving shortfalls facing the region’s justice system.
The minister made her first official visit to Nunavik last week, visiting Inukjuak and Puvirnituq on April 23 and April 24.
During her visit, LeBel stopped by to visit a new community justice centre and meet staff from both the Sapumijiit victim support program and Saqijuq, a social regulation initiative.
LeBel also sat down with officials from the Kativik Regional Government and Makivik Corp., who shared their concerns with the recent vacancies at Kuujjuaq’s Crown prosecutor’s office and the community’s legal aid office.
The region’s only Nunavik-based prosecutor relocated last fall, while Kuujjuaq’s only local, full-time legal aid lawyer position has been moved to Val d’Or for now.
KRG Chair Jennifer Munick called the situation “stressful” for Nunavimmiut trying to navigate the system.
“How are we able to move forward when services are closed down on us? We hope that the province will come up with initiatives to improve services in the region,” Munick said in an April 26 news release jointly issued by the KRG and Quebec government.
“Our people deserve more.”
Nunavik’s leadership has also asked the province for support to help ease the distance and cost of maintaining its circuit court, as well as a corrections system that requires Nunavik detainees to be incarcerated in southern detention centres.
LeBel, who worked as a Crown prosecutor in the North in the early 2000s, said she understands the challenges in the region.
“I want to push this forward and focus on small steps,” LeBel was quoted as saying in the same news release. “By making small steps we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture.”
LeBel said she supports the KRG’s request for video-conferencing facilities in Kuujjuaq and Puvirnituq to help cut down on the transfer of detainees to southern prisons.
The Kativik Regional Police Force has said that it can take up to 14 days between a prisoner’s arrest in Nunavik and their arrival at a hearing, because of the lengthy travel involved.
The KRPF estimates it costs the police force $3.5 million a year to transfer detainees south, while videoconferencing could help keep 30 per cent of detainees in the region.
Quebec and Nunavik officials will meet to discuss that request next month.
Otherwise, LeBel did not announce any funding or immediate measures to address the issues raised during her visit to the region.
The cost of services in Nunavik are a burden to Quebec and Canadian hard working tax payers. It seems like nothing but crime and self imposed poor health is the product of Nunavik life. People literally are eating and eliminating on the tab of others, giving nothing back in return. Just existing without goals and objectives. And then you have this white knight syndrome, that’s going to change it all for the better. Nothing mentioned about motivating factors from within the community to start laying the foundation for real living. Nothing , but the same old give, and use and abuse, no returns on the dollar, life continues to go down hill.
That life in Nunavik