News & Updates

Public Investigation Into The Death of Ms. Regis Korchinski-Paquet

May 29, 2020

Dear,

Hon. Doug Downey                Joseph Martino                         Hon Sylvia Jones

Attorney General                     Deputy Director (SIU)              Solicitor General

Doug.downey@pc.ola.org       joseph.martino@ontario.ca    Sylvia.jones@pc.ola.org

The Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion joins residents of Ontario, community members and other organizations in expressing our deep, anger, sadness, and concern over the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet. She was a 29 year-old Afro-Indigenous woman who died after an interaction with Toronto Police on Wednesday night at 100 High Park Avenue.

Since the death of Regis Korchinski-Pacuqet involved an interaction Toronto Police officers we understand that an investigation has been launched by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). We hope this investigation will be accountable and transparent to Ms. Korchinski-Pacquet’s family and to the Black and Indigenous communities across Ontario. We are mindful of past instances where institutional racism, actions and attitudes entrenched in white supremacist ideology, settler colonialism and anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism trump the search for truth and justice. It is in this vein that we ask for a full public independent inquiry that allows for the release of the subject officer’s name under investigation, a summary of the investigative process (including timeline), any relevant evidence (physical, forensic, witness, video, audio, photographic) and the government should provide funding for legal assistance to represent the interests of the Ms. Korchinski-Pacquet’s family.[1]

In Hamilton, we have seen how Police officers have engaged in methods of racial profiling and carding practices that disproportionally discriminate against Black and Indigenous people and communities. [2]  It is these practices that go against the Anti-Racism Act that states “The Government of Ontario shall maintain an anti-racism strategy that aims to eliminate systematic racism and advance racial equity.” Surely the continued deaths of Black and Indigenous people at the hands and interaction with police go against upholding the Anti-Racism Act which encompasses the law of the Province.

We urge the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ministry of the Solicitor General to take swift action to ensure a transparent and accountable public investigation takes place in order to achieve justice and satisfy the wishes of Ms. Korchinski-Paquet’s family.

[1] Report of the Independent Police Oversight Review by The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch. https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/pubs/police_oversight_review/#_idParaDest-46

[2] Hamilton Police have carded 9,000 since 2010.