The family of a woman who was killed by police in New Brunswick met with federal politicians and demanded changes to policing in Canada.
Chantel Moore, 26, was a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and grew up in Port Alberni but had recently moved to New Brunswick. On June 4, police in Edmunston went to the 26-year-old’s apartment for a wellness check and ultimately ended up killing her.
Police have claimed Moore went towards an officer with a knife before the officer shot and killed her.
On Sunday, federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who has been travelling across Vancouver Island, and Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns met with the family of Moore in Port Alberni.
“A wellness check resulted in an Indigenous woman being killed. That should never happen,” said Singh told reporters, adding. “There are so many examples of police brutalizing Indigenous people and racialized people, that Indigenous people are killed by police, that there has to be a complete overhaul of when and why and where the use of force is appropriate. That has to be completely changed.”
Moore’s family has been demanding changes to policing in Canada following her death. They also filed a complaint against two officers involved and a special investigation unit continues to look into what happened, but doubt there will be any justice.
“I still haven’t heard very much as it’s still an open investigation,” said Moore’s Martha Martin, who joined via video call from New Brunswick.
Judith Sayers, family spokesperson and president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, wondered how an independent investigation can be trusted when there are Indigenous people involved in it.
“How much trust can we have in those kinds of institutions or in the independent investigation with no Indigenous people? There’s no indigenous oversight body. These are things that can be remedied immediately,” said Sayers.
It’s something Johns agrees with, suggesting than an Indigenous-led investigation unit is needed.
“We clearly need an Indigenous-led investigation unit that’s taking these issues at hand to have that trust and credibility and that’s what the family is wanting to see,” said the Member of Parliament.
Dean Stoltz
