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 After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.