May 7, 1998
(Justice)

The following statement was issued today by Chris Decker, Minister of Justice and Attorney General.  It was also read in the House of Assembly:

On February 4, 1998 Mr. Adam Okkuatsiak died while an inmate at the Labrador Correctional Center.

I wish to inform the House today that The Department of Justice has received a report from the Chief Medical Examiner. The RCMP has also submitted a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions for review.

In order to ensure that there is ample opportunity to examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Okkuatsiak's death, I have advised the family and I now advise the House of Assembly and the public that a Judicial Inquiry will be conducted into this matter.

Government takes such matters very seriously. We want to do everything we can to create as safe an environment as possible for inmates in secure custody. A death is not always avoidable. However, it is important that we closely examine a death in a secure custody facility so that all reasonable measures are taken to ensure avoidable deaths do not occur in our institutions.

1998  05  07     3:00 p.m.