Silverfox death comes under NDP scrutiny

Largely ignored by the national media to date, the December 2008 death of Raymond Silverfox in Whitehorse RCMP cells received significant attention this morning in Ottawa at a press conference advocating the need for a national agency to investigate in-custody injuries or deaths.

Largely ignored by the national media to date, the December 2008 death of Raymond Silverfox in Whitehorse RCMP cells received significant attention this morning in Ottawa at a press conference advocating the need for a national agency to investigate in-custody injuries or deaths.

“We shouldn’t have to be pleading for inquiries after the fact. That is just wrong,” said NDP MP Nathan Cullen, whose private member’s bill would establish such a public body separate from the police.

Over the past several years, incidents in the Yukon involving questionable police behaviour – some bordering on negligence – have shaken the public’s confidence and trust in the RCMP, and today lent weight to Cullen’s bill.

Speaking by phone from her home in Carmacks, Silverfox’s daughter, Deanna Charlie, relived shocking evidence provided at a recent coroner’s inquest that ruled father died of natural causes.

“The police and guards mocked and laughed at my dad just because he asked for a matress to sleep on .... I feel angry at the RCMP for how they ridiculed him,” Charlie told media assembled on Parliament Hill and those participating from across Canada in the teleconference.

“My dad did not deserve the treatment he received in last 13 hours of his life; he was a human being, a proud First Nations man (and) my father. I still can’t believe what he had to endure.”

Shortly after Silverfox died, the Yukon NDP demanded but failed to get the territorial government to support a public inquiry.

Only after testimony and evidence heard at the coroner’s inquest revealed the callousness of police and guards – one member told Silverfox to “sleep in (his) own s—-” – did the government act.

However, the joint Yukon government/RCMP policing review announced in April failed to mollify opposition parties nor the Silverfox family, who has since filed for a judicial review of the inquest and plans to sue the police.

“The RCMP and the Minister of Justice (Marian Horne) have set up a task force… what it doesn’t address and won’t address are specific circumstances of Raymond Silverfox’s death ... or if any consequences will occur for those on duty during the hours he was in custody,” said Yukon NDP Leader Liz Hanson, who took part in the press conference from Whitehorse.

Hanson noted the March trial and subsequent acquittals of two RCMP officers charged with sexual assault following a 2009 incident in Watson Lake involving a nurse as yet another instance where police behaviour has shaken the public’s trust.

Like the ruling Yukon Party continuing to rebuff demands for an inquiry into Silverfox’s death, in Ottawa, Cullen blames the Conservative government for its failure to support his private member’s bill

“We’ve pleaded, we’ve argued, we’ve ranted ... this is not an issue of revenge; this is an issue of justice,” Cullen said. “And the only resistance we’ve had (on this bill) is from the government (whose) loath to move on this.”

Hanson said the Yukon New Democrats will continue to push for a public inquiry into Silverfox’s death and would lend whatever support it could to Cullen’s bill.