Inquest into Tuktoyaktuk in-custody death will hear from family, witnesses

An inquest into the death of a woman in police cells in Tuktoyaktuk in 2021 will hear from her family and those who were there the day she died, according to the N.W.T.'s chief coroner. 

Sylvia Panaktalok died just hours after she was taken into custody for public intoxication. In 2023, a Calgary police investigation concluded her death was "non-criminal."

Starting next Tuesday, N.W.T. chief coroner Garth Eggenberger will conduct an inquest into Panaktalok's death. Eggenberger said the purpose of the inquest is to get the "facts of the circumstances out to the public."

"It's unfortunate it took so long for the investigation to happen," he said. 

Coroner's inquests are fact-finding proceedings and do not find fault. A jury will determine when and how Panaktalok died. They may also issue recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future. Those recommendations are not legally binding.

Eggenberger said he hopes the inquest will shine light on how Panaktalok ended up in police custody and what happened during her time there.

"We're not making any finding of fault, we're only bringing the facts forward," he said. 

Eggenberger said the inquest is taking place in Inuvik despite the death happening in Tuktoyaktuk in order to get enough jurors that would "not interfere with family affairs," given the closeness of the small community. 

"It's unfortunate we have to do that," he said. 

Eggenberger said several people will testify, including the people who called the police to have Panaktalok taken away from her home, the police officers themselves, and anyone who was involved in her care before Calgary police took over the investigation. He said the inquest also expects to hear from an expert who will discuss alcohol use. Panaktalok's family is also expected to testify.

Typically about a year after an inquest, Eggenberger said his office will check with the various parties to see if they've followed up on recommendations made by the jury.

Similar deaths occurring at 'absolutely unacceptable rate'

This will be the fifth inquest into an in-custody death in the past 10 years in the N.W.T. 

While it's not yet clear how Panaktalok died, Shakir Rahim, director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association's criminal justice program, said people dying or injured after an arrest for public intoxication is "subject to serious criticism" across the country. 

"Someone who's intoxicated, if they're not being checked up on regularly …  the bottom line is that a jail cell does not provide the necessary support and care that that person needs," Rahim said. 

Rahim said inquests across Canada into these kinds of deaths have recommended creating sobering centres for people who are intoxicated, rather than putting them in police custody.

He said the issue deserves more than just an inquest each time it happens. 

"We are grappling here with a pattern of conduct and a pattern of deaths that needs more than just the case-by-case analysis."

A CBC News investigation in 2021 found that 60 people in Canada had died since 2010 after being placed in police custody for public intoxication. 

"The evidence is already in that this is occurring at an absolutely unacceptable rate," Rahim said. "We're seeing negligence or misconduct contributing to these deaths as well."

The inquest is scheduled to take place in Inuvik at the Mackenzie Hotel, beginning on Tuesday.