Chantel Moore's family arrives in New Brunswick, greeted by community leaders

The family of the 26-year-old First Nations woman shot by police last week have arrived at the Fredericton International Airport.

The family members were greeted by community leaders with drumming and singing. They're in the province to seek answers and provide support to Moore's mother and five-year-old daughter.

Chantel Moore was shot by an Edmundston Police Force officer who came to her home to conduct a wellness check Thursday. Her death inspired an outcry in light of protests against systemic racism in policing in the United States and Canada.

Family members told The Canadian Press they had many questions about what led to her death.

Amy Charlie, who is Moore's cousin but also referred to as her sister as perTla-o-qui-aht culture, also told the news agency it's important for the family to be together.

"I think I need to say a final goodbye to her,'' she said.

The family arrived from British Columbia to the sound of drumming and singing from the New-Brunswick-area Indigenous community and members of St. Mary's First Nation. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jake Stewart and Lt.Gov. Brenda Murphy were also in attendance.

Family of Indigenous woman killed by Edmundston police arrives in Fredericton

4 years ago

Duration 0:59

Family of Chantel Moore, the First Nations woman who was killed by Edmundston police last week, arrived in Fredericton on Monday to seek answers and provide support to Moore's five-year-old daughter Gracie.

"It's simply not good enough to tell Indigenous leaders to sit and wait while our communities continue to suffer from a broken system," said Chief Alan Polchiesof St. Mary's First Nation.

He said Moore was shot on the one-year anniversary ofthe final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, highlighting the issue even further.

"Justice delayed is justice denied. We demand action now."

Polchies said there will be a healing walk in Madawaskaon Saturday.

"Healing is a process of Indigenous people. And today we come here to greet the family that came from the other part of Turtle Island. That came from Tofino."

Edmundston police have said the officer shot Moore to "defend himself" because she allegedly had a knife and was making threats. An independent police watchdog is investigating the shooting and the police force's claims.

It's not clear exactly what led to the wellness check. Moore's aunt told CBC News a former boyfriend who lives in Toronto had asked police to check on her because she was being harassed. Insp. Steve Robinson with the Edmundston police said Moore had received "strange" messages on Facebook.

When asked if there will bea coroner's inquest into Moore's death, Premier Blaine Higgs said there isa full investigation being done by the independent Quebec body.

"I will be awaiting to understand the full details," he said.

Higgs said he would be opento discussing the merits of a national inquest into the relationshipbetween police and First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples in Canada, but did not say if he's for or the againstthe idea.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province's chief medical officer of health, said public heath will make compassionate exemptions totheinterprovincial travel ban and the14-day mandatory self isolation requirement,but would not say if Moore's family has received this exemption.

"It's obviously a very tragic situation," she said.

"What I can say in a general sense is, from the beginning, we have on a case-by-case basis made compassionate exemptions, and the details of thosecompassionate exemptions are worked out between Public Safety and Public Health in terms of what protocols are followed."