Quebec's Public Security Minister has ordered Montreal's police department to investigate allegations of physical and sexual abuse by Sureté du Quebec officers in Val d'Or.
Visibly upset by the allegations that have been made, Lise Theriault said that the cases have been investigated in recent months, but that new accusations which came to light this week had never previously been brought to the attention of authorities.
"I am as shocked as everyone else in the population. We must do something, and we will do it, that is what we are saying," said Theriault.
"We investigated the cases we knew about, but we could only talk to the women who were willing to talk."
Theriault also said that demands to replace the entire police force working in Val d'Or were out of line.
"There are five police officers who have been sent home this morning, but we can't just take every officer out of Val d'Or," she said.
SQ Captain Guy Lapointe confirmed Friday that the force and the Ministry of Public Security were first informed of the allegations on May 12, 2015.
"The allegations were made by journalists working with aboriginal women," said Lapointe. "In total there are 14 allegations made, in some cases going back 10 years... One of the officers accused has since passed away."
He added that police officers accused of a crime are, like everyone else, innocent until proven guilty.
"I think yesterday's report on television was a breaking point. We're not encased here in an ivory tower. We're aware of people's opinions, we're reading what people are saying, we're hearing people, and clearly there is a problem of confidence right now, and that's why exceptional measures were put in place today in order to establish the public's confidence, if you like, in the Sureté du Quebec," said Lapointe.
Officers suspended
On Thursday evening Radio-Canada's program Enquete presented an investigation into allegations of abuse against residents of Val d'Or and the First Nations communities in the region 500 kilometres northwest of Montreal.
According to the program and the people interviewed, nine SQ officers had, at points over the past decade, abducted women and abused them.
One aboriginal woman told Radio-Canada that SQ officers had picked her up, given her beers that they kept in the trunk of their squad car, and then forced her to perform sexual acts in the police cruiser.
She said the officers then gave her $200 as long as she promised never to talk about what happened.
Theriault said several of the allegations have been investigated, but also expressed frustration, saying that unfortunately "some women will not talk about abuse."
On Friday Lapointe said the director general of the SQ contacted the public security minister immediately after Thursday's broadcast, asking her to put Montreal police in charge of the investigation.
"The eight officers accused were immediately placed on administrative leave and will be staying at their homes," said Lapointe.
Calls for Inquiry
On Friday morning, members of the Lac Simon First Nation and the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador said an internal investigation will not be enough.
After learning that five officers accused of abuse were on the job until that very morning, they called for an independent inquiry.
"It is public security that is being questioned here and the response must equal the gravity of the allegations", said Chief Ghislain Picard.
Edith Cloutier, head of the First Nations Friendship Centre of Val d'Or, said the Quebec government should not have to be reminded that it is responsible for the security of each of its citizens.
She called for the immediate suspension of the eight officers involved, a request that was confirmed minutes later by Theriault.
Picard also said that the upcoming Parliamentary Commission into the abuse of aboriginals would not be sufficient.
"Systemic discrimination against First Nations exists. It is not an urban legend," said Picard.
The call for an inquiry was echoed by Opposition Leader Pierre Karl Peladeau, who said he doubted the effectiveness of police investigating police.
Montreal police confirmed Friday afternoon they are handling the investigation. In a news release, they said they're communicating with every one who has made a complaint in the case.They are asking anyone with information to contact them at 1-844-615-3118.
