Val-d’Or SQ officers sue Radio-Canada as abuse investigation drags on

One year after Radio Canada’s Enquête program brought to light startling allegations of sexual assault and abuse suffered by Native women at the hands of Sûreté du Québec (SQ) officers in Val-d’Or and the surrounding area, 41 police officers at the detachment have launched a lawsuit against the network.

Funded by the officers’ union, the Association des policiers provinciaux du Québec (APPQ), the suit filed on October 19 seeks $2.3 million in damages and claims that Radio-Canada defamed the officers’ reputation and created a hostile work environment. It says that Radio-Canada presented the stories of the First Nations women who came forward as proof of a recurring problem and questions the truthfulness of the women’s claims as well as their motives behind coming forward.

The litigation also attacks Radio-Canada’s journalistic integrity, staying that the story was biased, misleading, incomplete and deceitful. The officers accuse journalist Josée Dupuis of not corroborating the allegations with reliable sources.

In a press release following the announcement, Radio-Canada rejected all accusations and described their approach to the Enquête report as irreproachable. They also pointed out that not once has the SQ officially denied the allegations brought forward by the weekly television newsmagazine series

“The report [“Abus de la SQ: Les femmes brisent le silence”] was created in accordance with the rulebook in every respect, its production and broadcast sit at the heart of Radio-Canada’s mandate, which we will prove in court.”

Cree Deputy Grand Chief Rodney Mark said the suit threatens fundamental rights. “It’s my hope that Radio-Canada and its journalists stands their ground on these issues in the fight for freedom of speech,” he said. “Any attack on journalism is an attack on our democratic society. Otherwise who will speak for the marginalized?”

According to reports from Val-d’Or, the city’s SQ detachment has also launched a bracelet campaign. The bracelets feature eight stars representing the police officers who were suspended following Enquête’s report.

Representatives of the local First Nations community declined to comment, awaiting the results of the ongoing investigation by the Montreal police service. Anishnabeg leaders from Lac-Simon Kitcisakik and Pikogan publicly condemned the long investigation as well as the APPQ lawsuit, calling it “heinous.”

Of the eight police officers originally suspended, two have been cleared of all suspicions while six are still under investigation and on administrative leave.

                                            

Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come said the lawsuit amounts to intimidation by the police.

“On the surface, it appears suspiciously as though the Val-d’Or SQ and the association that represents it is attempting to intimidate both the journalists who uncovered the serious allegations of assault and sexual abuse of Indigenous women in the Val-d’Or area as well as anyone who might dare to come forward with allegations of abuse at the hands of local law enforcement authorities. I would be concerned that a message is being sent that there could be retaliation for coming forward,” Coon Come said.

“The recent revelations of unauthorized access of the cell-phones of prominent Quebec journalists could be related to this issue as well. However, there are currently specific court actions in progress and there are currently investigations into the original allegations stemming from the Enquête program. We look forward to the results of this investigation and we will carefully review its report. We will have much more to say when these two processes have reached conclusions.”