Former Quebec police officer charged with armed, sexual assault dating back to early 1990s

Former Quebec provincial police officer Alain Juneauis facing charges related to his time stationed in a tiny communitynear the Labrador border.

Juneau, 56, is accused of sexual assault and armed assault between 1992 and 1994in the northern Quebec villageof Schefferville, wherehe was posted as anofficer with the Sret du Qubec. He was chargedNov. 10.

It's not yet known if there's a link to a wider probe of alleged abuses of Indigenous women by police.

Quebec's director of criminal prosecutions is expected to confirm the chargesat a news conference Friday in Val-d'Or.

• Independent observer in Val-d'Or abuse scandal says police investigation 'fair, impartial'

The revelation of Juneau's arrestcomes after multiple reports that prosecutors would not be laying charges in connection with any of the 37 files handed over by Montreal police, setting off a torrent of criticism from activists and Indigenous leaders.

Aboriginal women'fallen victims to the system'

dith Cloutier, executive director of Val-d'Or's Native Friendship Centre, said that she and her colleagueshad trusted the justice system and took part in the investigation with "good will."

However, she said they feel disappointednow, hearing that charges will not be pressed against any of the officers allegedly involved in abuses in Val-d'Or.

"Aboriginal women have fallen victims yet again to the system which has failed to protect them," Cloutier said at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

The Montreal police investigation was ordered after Radio-Canada's investigative programEnquteuncoveredseveral allegations of abusetoward Indigenous women inVal-d'Or, a city about 600 kilometres northwest of Montreal.

Most of the files relate to alleged incidents inVal-d'Or, but officers in other parts of Quebec were also subject to investigation.

Limits to justice system, observer says

Earlier Thursday, an independent observer tasked with overseeing the investigation said she would be "surprised" there weren't any charges.

Fannie Lafontaine, a human rights lawyerappointed by Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard to monitor the investigation, added, however, that there are inherent limits to the criminaljustice system when it comes to cases of abuse.

"Prosecutors have a very high standard to meet," Lafontaine,the Canada Research Chair on International Criminal Justice and Human Rights at Laval University, told CBC'sQuebec AM on Thursday.

"They have to prove to the judge beyond a reasonable doubt that certain things happened, and this leads to various cases every day that won't go to trial even if what is being said by the person actually happened."

• No charges inVal-d'Orabuse scandal will breed further mistrust, Indigenous leaders say

In a separate interview on CBC'sDaybreak, Lafontaine said that in 21of the cases handed over to prosecutors, no police officers were identified by name, so no charges were possible.

Of the remaining cases, she said, "a handful" were on solid legal footing,but most were too weak to prosecute.

Lafontaine'sreport, made public Wednesday, concluded that the investigation by Montreal police into allegations against provincial policeofficers was"fair and impartial."

Deeper issues at play

Lafontaine's report also stressedthat criminal investigations are limited and do not address the deeper issues facing Indigenous people in Quebec.

Lafontaine called foran immediate consultation between Indigenous leaders and the province to come up with measures that could be complementary to the police investigation.

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Quebec Justice Minister Stphanie Vallesaid the province is looking at ways to ensure an alleged victim of abuse is supported throughout the legal complaint process.

"For example, a woman could be accompanied by a person of their choice during the process with police," she said.

In response to the report, Native Affairs Minister Geoffrey Kelley said "the question of racism in the police force is a very preoccupying one."

"We have to take every measure possible to restore confidence between the police and communities they serve," he said.

• Watch theEnqutereport on Val-d'Or

Prosecutors to offer more info

Members of the SretduQubecare suing Radio-Canada for airing theEnqutereport.

The officers claim the report was "biased, misleading," and its content was "inaccurate, incomplete and untrue," and created a hostile working environment for officers inVal-d'Or.

In the region, some peopleare concerned about what theannouncement couldmean for relations between police and Indigenous communities.

''The relation between the Native and non-Native, in the last year after [theEnqutereport], was shaken, but both nations tried toreconcile,"said DavidKistabish, Chief of theAbitibiwinniBand Council ofPikogan, which is about 80 kilometres north ofVal-d'Or.

"Since yesterday what we're seeing on social media is that one personis against the others. Ihave concerns for the future about that."