Geoffrey Kelley meets with leaders in Val-d'Or after sex abuse allegations

Geoffrey Kelley, the Quebec minister responsible for native affairs, was in Val-d'Or on Sunday to meet local leaders in light of recent accusations of sexual abuse by provincial police.

Kelley spoke with Val-d'Or Mayor Pierre Corbeil, Guy Bourgeois, the Liberal MNA for Abitibi-Est and First Nations chiefs in the area.

"There's a great concern for the women who had the courage to speak, and that's one of the things we need to look at — how to assure their safety," Kelley said after his meetings.

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But Kelley also said it's important to re-establish trust with the police.

"All of society depends on the police service. I imagine that many officers are in shock, too," he said.

Earlier this week, Radio-Canada's investigative program Enquête revealed that aboriginal women in the northern community alleged they were abused and sexually assaulted by provincial police officers.

The eight Quebec provincial police officers allegedly involved are under investigation and have either been put on leave or transferred to administrative duty. The investigation was handed over to Montreal police. 

Calls for a Quebec-led inquiry

The Parti Québécois and the Coalition Avenir Québec are calling on the Quebec government to launch an inquiry into the matter.

But Public Security Minister Lise Thériault said it should be done as part of a countrywide inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women, which prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau promised during the federal election campaign.

"Mr. Trudeau made a commitment to move forward with a national inquiry," said Thériault.

"You have to understand that we cannot start 12 investigations."

Pierre Karl Péladeau, the leader of the Parti Québécois, said the claims should be investigated by Quebec, not Ottawa.

"There are allegations concerning the Sûreté du Québec and I don't believe that the federal government, in any way manner, has the competence or the jurisdiction when it comes to this very specific situation," said Péladeau.

Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault also said there's a need for a local inquiry.

"We are talking about two different things. There is a general situation in Canada but what happened in Val-d'Or is very troubling and we need an investigation," Legault said.

No short-term miracle solution

Kelley said problems faced by aboriginal communities are "profound" and that there are no short-term miracle solutions.

But he said he discussed how to address some of them, like Val-d'Or's increasing homelessness among native residents and fighting racism with more education.