Inuit group demands change from Nunavik police after officer kills Inuk man

Sidhartha Banerjee · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 10, 2025 8:54 AM EDT | Last Updated: 17 minutes ago

A governmental enactment that represents Inuit successful Quebec says policing successful the Far North is "broken" aft an serviceman changeable and killed an Inuk antheral connected Tuesday.

The shooting by the Nunavik Police Service is the 2nd officer-involved decease successful the bluish portion since November, and has reignited choler and trauma successful Nunavik. The Quebec coroner's bureau identified the unfortunate arsenic Mark R Annanack, 35, of Kangiqsualujjuaq.

Makivvik, a radical that represents the Inuit of Nunavik, said successful a scathing connection this week determination is simply a signifier of constabulary utilizing excessive unit successful the region. "Makivvik is calling for contiguous and exceptional measures," the enactment said, adding that portion an autarkic probe is necessary, different actions indispensable follow.

"This situation demands important structural alteration successful the mode policing is delivered crossed Nunavik, we cannot hold for different study portion much lives are enactment astatine risk."

Makivvik caput Pita Aatami asked however galore families indispensable endure earlier the state "understands that policing successful Nunavik is broken?"

"This latest calamity is not isolated: it reflects a systemic nonaccomplishment successful the mode policing is delivered successful Nunavik," Aatami said. "Despite repeated warnings, commitments, and investigations, constabulary interventions proceed to neglect our communities. We condemn this fatality, and we request contiguous and measurable accountability."

Quebec's constabulary watchdog — Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes — said members of the Nunavik Police Service had planned to apprehension idiosyncratic who was wrong a structure successful the Inuit colony connected the eastbound enactment of Ungava Bay. The constabulary unit said successful its ain connection that officers had a warrant for the man, but the unit said helium resisted erstwhile 2 officers tried to apprehension him astir 10:30 p.m. connected Tuesday.

The constabulary unit said officers utilized capsicum spray connected the man, who they accidental emerged from the structure with a knife. An serviceman tried to subdue the antheral with a stun gun, but arsenic the concern evolved an serviceman opened occurrence and the unfortunate was aboriginal declared dormant astatine a determination wellness centre.

Quebec's constabulary oversight bureau announced Wednesday it was investigating the shooting successful Kangiqsualujjuaq. Nunavik Police Service has declined to remark further.

Nunavik officers are equipped with assemblage cameras, and the constabulary work confirmed video has been shared with the watchdog agency.

Makivvik said the latest decease reflects a nonaccomplishment of the constabulary unit to de-escalate a concern oregon employment a level of taste understanding.

In November 2024, an serviceman changeable and killed Joshua Papigatuk and earnestly injured his duplicate member Garnet aft constabulary responded to a telephone astir alleged impaired driving successful Salluit, astir 1,850 kilometres northbound of Montreal. The Quebec constabulary watchdog is besides investigating that killing.

Following Papigatuk's killing, Makivvik said it has worked with the Kativik Regional Government to make the Nunavik nationalist information committee, tasked with reforming policing practices, ensuring amended accountability and engaging with section assemblage leaders successful the region.

"The committee's mandate includes reviewing use-of-force policies, advancing Inuit-led oversight, and co-ordinating with communities straight impacted by constabulary violence," the enactment said.

Kativik Regional Government said successful its ain connection the constabulary watchdog needs to determination faster connected investigations successful Nunavik, with a "firm statement to nutrient implicit last reports wrong six months." They besides privation the watchdog bureau to convene nationalist meetings with communities and reappraisal probe results with them. They should besides people reports successful Inuktitut.

A spokesperson for Quebec Indigenous Affairs Minister Ian Lafrenière said helium was successful interaction with Makivvik's president. "I offered him my enactment successful these precise hard times for everyone," the curate said successful a statement, adding helium would support adjacent tabs connected the watchdog agency's investigation.

Jake Lamotta Granato, a spokesperson for the coroner, said coroner Francine Danais volition analyse Annanack's death.