Family of twins shot by Nunavik police call for justice at Montreal protest

Tears were shed, hugs were exchanged and words of solidarity were shared at a protest in Montreal on Saturday calling for justice for two brothers who were shot last month by police in Nunavik, Que. 

Around 50 people, including members of the victims' family, gathered in the City of Westmount and marched to Premier François Legault's office, with many holding signs denouncing police brutality against Inuit in the Far North and others reading, "Justice for the twins."

Joshua Papigatuk, 26, was killed when Nunavik police opened fire on Nov. 4 in Salluit, Que. His twin brother, Garnet Papigatuk, was seriously injured and flown to hospital. 

Courtney Papigatuk, the twins' second cousin, described Joshua as a "lovely, lovely man" who leaves behind a two-month-old daughter. She says Garnet is in recovery. 

"Both Joshua and Garnet are very loved, very happy people who had so much to give to the world and to end a life like that with so much potential and so much happiness is really sick," she said. 

She said she organized the protest to condemn police brutality in Nunavik, which she described as an epidemic.

Data from Quebec's chief coroner's office between 2000 and 2018 found Nunavik had more police-related deaths than any of Canada's three territories, despite having a population about one-third of each territory. 

"We demand justice, we demand jail time, we demand repercussions for all the cops that have been shooting Indigenous people," Courtney said.  

In the days after the shooting, demonstrations were held across Nunavik and people on social media posted the hashtags "justiceforjoshua" and "justiceforthetwins."

2 ongoing investigations

Two investigations are underway into the Nov. 4 police altercation — one by Quebec's police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), and the other by the Sûreté du Québec (SQ). 

The BEI released early findings from its investigation the day after the shooting, which it said suggested Nunavik police officers responded to a call about someone attempting to drive while impaired. 

A physical altercation ensued, with Tasers and pepper spray allegedly deployed before police drew their guns. 

CBC spoke with one person who said they witnessed the whole incident and didn't see pepper spray or Tasers used. The person did not agree to have their name used.

On Friday, Nunavik's police chief pledged to implement every recommendation from the two investigations into the shooting once those final reports are presented. 

'We share the same grief,' says other victim

The mother of 26-year-old Chantel Moore, who was shot and killed during a police wellness check in 2020 in New Brunswick, made the trip to Montreal to stand with the twins' family on Saturday. 

Martha Martin, whose son also died that year by suicide while in police custody in British Columbia, said it is important to let the family members know that they're not alone in their fight for justice. 

"Our stories are different, but we share the same grief," she said. "It doesn't matter where we're from, we're always going to stand together as one." 

Martin said she still doesn't have all the answers in her son's case and, while a coroner's inquest ruled her daughter's death a homicide, no charges were ever laid against the officer who shot her. 

"It becomes exhausting, but we've formed a community that says, 'OK, when you're tired, here, let us help you," she said. 

"Just knowing that people are beside or behind you, that are going to walk with you in a fight for justice, it makes such a huge difference." 

In October, victims' families asked for a national inquiry after nine Indigenous people were killed in interactions with police over the course of 11 days in Canada.

After Papigatuk's death, the MP for Nunavut Lori Idlout spoke at the House of Commons and said the situation needs to change.

"We need more de-escalation tactics and Indigenous-led crisis response teams," she said.