north
Judge calls out politicians
By: Mike W. Bryant, Northern News Services
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The NWT's top judge says politicians should spend less time focusing on the length of jail sentences and more on the root causes of crime in the territory.
Justice John Vertes' remarks come as criticism mounts in the legislative assembly over what have been perceived as overly lenient sentences for violent offenders in recent months.
For one MLA, Kam Lake's Dave Ramsay, the most recent outrage is the five-year sentence handed out to Inuvik resident Claude Harry last month for the beating death of Angus Kikoak, whom Harry killed after a night of drinking in December 2009. Read more »
Yukon RCMP work on First Nations relations
CBC NewsThe Yukon's top Mountie says he is working on improving the RCMP's relationships with First Nations after the 2008 death of an aboriginal man in police custody.
Commanding officer Supt. Peter Clark spoke to CBC News for the first time since a coroner's inquest was held in the Dec. 2, 2008, death of Raymond Silverfox, 43, a member of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.
The inquest, which took place last month, heard that Silverfox died after he had been held at the Whitehorse RCMP detachment's drunk tank for more than 13 hours, without any medical help offered to him during that time.
Yukon panel tackles intoxicated persons issue
CBC NewsThe Yukon government has asked a retired doctor and a former chief to lead a task force that will look at ways to better help those who are extremely intoxicated.
Longtime Whitehorse physician Bruce Beaton and James Allen, a former chief of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, will work with First Nation, health-care, justice and social service officials to discuss the issue of extreme alcoholism in the territory.
"We must consider the options for supporting people in our communities who are struggling with alcohol dependence, and in particular those whose visible dysfunctions put themselves and others at risk," Health and Social Services Minister Glenn Hart stated in a release Thursday.
