New Democrats want special prosecutor on residential schools, crimes against children
For years, Inuit have watched a priest they say abused children for decades recline in comfortable retirement in France.
Time for that to end, two New Democrat members of Parliament said Thursday.
Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq and Charlie Angus, who represents Timmins-James Bay in northern Ontario, called for the federal government to reopen talks to have Oblate priest Johannes Rivoire face trial for his alleged crimes, either in Canada or his native country.
And they demanded the federal justice minister appoint a special prosecutor to ensure that everything done to Indigenous people in all the institutions to which they were taken is revealed -- and perpetrators tried.
"Enough is enough," said Qaqqaq.
"Indigenous people need truth and justice, not only about individual abusers like Rivoire but about the hellhole of all genocidal residential school systems. We need a full and independent investigation that has the power to shine a light on every facet of this national crime and has the power to bring perpetrators to justice."
Rivoire, now 90, was in Canada from the early 1960s to 1993, when he returned to France. He worked in the Nunavut communities of Arviat, Rankin Inlet and Naujaat.
He faced at least three charges of sexual abuse relating to his time in those communities and a warrant for his arrest was issued in 1998. But in 2019, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada confirmed those charges wouldn't be proceeding -- at least partly due to France's reluctance to extradite its citizens for crimes committed elsewhere.
But the Inuit desire to see Rivoire face trial has never faded. In a June 30 letter to Justice Minister David Lametti, the president of the body that oversees the Nunavut Land Claim demanded the charges be reactivated through new evidence.
"Canada has options available to pursue the matter of Johannes Rivoire's," wrote Aluki Kotierk of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
She pointed out France has sent accused criminals to Canada in the past and Canada has extradited citizens to France. She also said France has prosecuted its own citizens for crimes committed in other countries.
"If France refuses to extradite Johannes Rivoire, Canada should aggressively urge France to prosecute him in France," she wrote.
She said her group, as well as two Nunavut premiers, had written letters to various Liberal justice ministers about Rivoire.
"(We) did not even receive either an acknowledgment of receipt of, or the courtesy of a response, on this very serious matter," the letter states.
It's time for Rivoire to face justice, said Peter Irniq, a longtime Inuit leader and childhood friend of a man who said he was one of Rivoire's victims. Marius Tungilik killed himself in 2012.
"I still would like to see that man in Canada," said Irniq. "He needs to be tried."
It's time for all abusers to face justice, said Qaqqaq and Angus. They called for a fully funded prosecutor, with the power to compel testimony and documents, to look into all institutions that affected Indigenous people. That would include residential schools, day schools and tuberculosis sanatoriums -- where Inuit were taken in the thousands.
"We cannot trust the Justice Department to do this without an independent special prosecutor and international observers," Qaqqaq said.
Angus said the federal government possesses a "trove" of documents that would extend the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"(The Commission) did not have a mandate to pursue justice, to go after the perpetrators," he said. "Canadians and Indigenous communities are calling for justice."
Justice Canada did not respond to a request for comment.
Qaqqaq, who has announced she won't seek re-election, said crimes committed against Inuit children even decades ago continue to echo through Nunavut communities.
"(Abusers) caused possible generations of trauma," she said.
"Child sexual abuse in Nunavut is rampant. There is a reason for that."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2021.
IN DEPTH
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
opinion Don Martin: Pierre Poilievre's road to apparent victory will soon start to get rougher
Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives appear to be on cruise control to a rendezvous with the leader's prime ministerial ambition, but in his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin questions whether the Conservative leader may be peaking too soon.
opinion Don Martin: The Trudeau lessons from Brian Mulroney's legacy start with walking away
Justin Trudeau should pay very close attention to the legacy treatment afforded former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who died on Thursday at age 84, writes columnist Don Martin.
opinion Don Martin: ArriveCan debacle may be even worse than we know from auditor's report
It's been 22 years since a former auditor general blasted the Chretien government after it 'broke just about every rule in the book' in handing out private sector contracts in the sponsorship scandal. In his column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin says the book has been broken anew with everything that went on behind the scenes of the 'dreaded' ArriveCan app.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Local Spotlight
Conservation officers seize 9-foot python from Chilliwack home
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Ontario auto-insurance changes could leave some vulnerable, says expert
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A tiny critter who could: Elusive Newfoundland Marten makes improbable comeback
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
Ontario man loses $12K to deepfake scam involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Record-setting pop tab collection for Ontario boy
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
'I was just like, holy cow!': Saskatoon dumpster divers reclaim wasted valuables
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario to balance budget ahead of 2026 election, citing delay due to 'economic uncertainty'
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.