Comment comes after Ottawa Police Service found no wrongdoing in RCMP fatal shooting of Inuk man
The government of Nunavut is affirming its intention to create a civilian police oversight body after a recent review of a shooting death of an Inuk man.
Territorial Justice Minister Jeannie Ehaloak says it’s a priority for her government to stop relying on other police forces to investigate the actions of the RCMP.
She says the government is bringing forward legislation to authorize civilian groups for that work.
She made the comment the day after the Ottawa Police Service released its findings into the death of Attachie Ashoona, who was shot by RCMP in Kinngait, Nunavut, in February.
Ottawa police concluded the RCMP did nothing wrong in the shooting. They came to the conclusion without releasing any information on the circumstances of the shooting. Ashoona’s name had been withheld until this week.
Kinngait Mayor Timoon Toonoo says the hamlet council is still waiting for more information on Ashoona’s death.
Between 2010 and July 2020, there have been 13 police-related deaths, for a total of 16 deaths in 21 years.
