Quebec Indigenous group says CAQ MNA who dismissed alleged police abuse should resign

MONTREAL – The Meeting of First Nations Quebec-Labrador is asking for a member of Quebec’s governing Coalition Avenir Quebec celebration to resign after he prompt quite a few Indigenous ladies lied about being sexually assaulted by law enforcement officials.

Ghislain Picard, the group’s chief, says the one “honorable” factor Pierre Dufour can do is resign after his “disgraceful” feedback a couple of Radio-Canada report alleging police abuse and in regards to the conclusions a public inquiry made on the connection between Indigenous individuals and Quebec public servants.

“I feel there are (members of the legislature) or ministers who’ve been requested to resign for much less,” Picard mentioned in a cellphone interview on Monday.

Picard additionally referred to as Dufour’s feedback “inexcusable” and mentioned individuals want to have the ability to have a minimal of religion and belief of their elected officers.

“It’s exactly as a result of one is an elected official that they should pay a bit extra consideration to what they are saying,” he mentioned.

Dufour made the feedback whereas talking in regards to the concern of homelessness throughout a Might 15 metropolis council assembly in Val d’Or, Que., a metropolis in his driving of Abitibi-Est about 500 kilometres northwest of Montreal.

After touting the packages supplied by the provincial authorities to deal with the problem, Dufour added the town council inherited a “pile of shit” created by a 2015 episode of the Radio-Canada investigation present Enquête, which regarded into bodily and sexual assaults of Indigenous ladies locally by police.

The present was “filled with lies” and attacked “law enforcement officials that have been very trustworthy,” Dufour mentioned, earlier than including there could have been some crooked law enforcement officials locally 30 years earlier than.

“This report received awards, however it created a break up between the police service and the neighborhood, which didn’t defend the law enforcement officials afterwards,” he mentioned.

Dufour went on to say a public inquiry, often called the Viens Fee, which launched partially in response to the Enquête broadcast, mentioned police have been racist towards Indigenous individuals as a result of they ticketed extra homeless individuals.

He mentioned law enforcement officials didn’t really feel supported after the allegations and solely did “the strict minimal” at their jobs, he mentioned.

Val d’Or has been served by the Quebec provincial police since 2002.

Dufour later posted on Fb the feedback have been made whereas he was emotional and he misspoke.

“The scenario in Val d’Or is regarding. It’s a delicate and complicated concern,” he wrote, including that he’s working with the mayor and public safety to make sure the security of all residents “with out exception.”

However for Picard, that’s not sufficient.

“For me, it’s form of a slap within the face to the efforts that we’re making an attempt to make to encourage a greater understanding of the scenario not simply in Val d’Or however throughout Quebec,” he mentioned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Might 22, 2023.

SHARE:

Source