Families of victims killed by police call on Quebec to increase financial assistance for coroner's inquiries
Five years after his death, Koray Celik's family is still fighting for justice
In March 2017, Celik, 28, was intoxicated and in crisis at the family home in Île Bizard.
His parents called police to calm him down. But as police tried to restrain him, the family said the officers beat and choked him.
He had a heart attack and died. In the fall, a coroner’s inquiry will look into his death.
"We are direct witnesses of the death of our son," said Celik's father, Cesur Celik.
"We want to participate in this inquiry, but there’s a problem. It is financially very expensive."
The Quebec Civil Liberties Union is calling on the government to do more to help families of victims who die at the hands of police. They say the families don't get enough money to properly represent themselves at coroner's inquiries.
It can cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to properly prepare for a coroner’s inquiry. Lawyers often have to pore over hundreds of pages of evidence, consult expert witnesses, and prepare witnesses for cross examinations.
But the government caps legal fees for victims families at $20,000.
"It’s clearly not enough," said Alexandre Popovic, a spokesperson for the advocacy group Coalition Against Police Repression and Abuse.
"Those police officers, when they are represented by a lawyer, it costs them a lot more."
Civil liberties groups say an access-to-information request revealed the city paid more than $280,000 in legal fees for officers in the coroner’s inquiry into the death of Pierre Coriolan, who was shot and killed by police in 2017 after they responded to a disturbance call at his home.
"If we have interested parties that have weaker representation, the police is going to triumph, it’s going to be their version all over the news, but is it the truth?" said Popovic.
Pointing to provinces like Ontario and Quebec, which pay five times more, Popovic is calling on Quebec to change the funding model so families like the Celiks can get answers to questions that continue to haunt them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.