Tanya Tungilik speaks to reporters in France in 2022 about her father's case. Photo: Kathleen Martens/APTN News
Nunavut RCMP say they have closed their investigation into a Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing Inuit children nearly 40 years ago because he died in April.
“I can confirm that the RCMP investigation regarding Mr. Joannes Rivoire is now concluded,” said the Iqaluit detachment in an email to APTN News Monday.
The confirmation is important to Tanya Tungilik, who is fighting the RCMP to release their records of her father’s 1969-70 sexual assault complaint that was made in 1993.
Marius Tungilik was one of five Inuit to accuse Rivoire, who denied the allegations in an exclusive interview with APTN News in July 2022.
“Maybe now I will get the file,” said Tanya Monday. “They could release it on compassionate grounds.”
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‘No, never’: French priest denies sex charge in Canada
Tanya and the Public Trustee of Nunavut, which oversees Marius’ estate, applied for the file under the Access to Information Act and were denied.
The Act says information remains private for 20 years following an individual’s death.
But Tanya said she and her family members need to know what her father says he experienced as a pre-teen in Naujaat (Repulse Bay) – where he worked at the grocery story with Rivoire – to understand his suffering.
Marius died in 2012 at the age of 55.
“My father never spoke of the abuse,” said Tanya, “but it negatively impacted his marriage, his home life and his family.”
Read more:
Inuk woman fighting RCMP to release father’s sexual abuse complaint from the ‘90s
Tanya said she and her mother and brother can grieve now that Rivoire and the case are dead.
However, the RCMP said in its refusal that it must protect her father’s privacy and the contents of its investigation.
While Canada sought Rivoire to answer to the charges, he never returned or was prosecuted.
He was charged with five counts of sexual abuse involving children and the subject of a Canada-wide warrant. But France declined Canada’s request to extradite the priest.
Nunavut RCMP did not response Monday when APTN asked whether the file would now be released to the family.
But a national spokeswoman for the RCMP in Ottawa contacted APTN Tuesday.
“Simply to let you know that we are still working on a response and we will get back to you soon,” said Marie-Eve Breton in an email.
Rivoire worked as a missionary in Nunavut from 1963-1993. He died in April after a long illness at age 93.
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout (NDP) told APTN she continues to advocate for Inuit victims of Rivoire.
She confirmed Tanya sent a letter to her office asking for help and she responded to Tanya last Friday.
“I know how important her request is, how important getting some closure is,” Idlout said in an interview Monday.
“…She absolutely deserves that information; it’s a part of her dad’s story and I completely respect what she’s trying to do.”
Idlout said she would “try and work with the RCMP” to get the file for Tanya.
Also, under sections 19(2)(c) and 8(2)(g)of the Act, an MP can request information from the RCMP on a constituent’s behalf.
