Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Jan 26/00) - Kivalliq is like many other places when it comes to spousal assault -- it can destroy families and divide communities.

A new proposal addressing spousal assault in Rankin Inlet has teamed up three of Nunavut's top legal professionals.

Chief Justice Beverley Browne, Crown prosecutor Pam Clarke and the executive director for the Keewatin Legal Services Centre, Bonnie Tulloch, are working on an alternative-to-jail proposal for people charged with spousal assault.

Tulloch says the proposal would be open to both men and women and offers a choice to those who meet its conditions.

"The person charged would have to admit to the facts of the case and the victim would have to be in agreement that counselling is what he or she wants," says Tulloch.

"There could also be no major injuries involved with the case."

With those conditions met, the accused would plead guilty on their first court appearance and the matter would be adjourned.

The accused would then undergo an intensive counselling program which Browne, Clarke and Tulloch would help set up in Rankin.

The person would return to court with a letter saying they'd completed counselling and receive a conditional discharge.

"We've done a number of things to make this happen, but we're only at the initial stages," says Tulloch. "We need to ensure the community supports the program."

A public meeting will be held tomorrow, Jan. 27, in Salon A of the Siniktarvik Hotel at 7:30 p.m., to present the proposal, receive feedback and decide on further steps to be taken.

"We've spoken to the money people in Ottawa and it appears they can free up some funds for the program.

"The Friendship Centre in Rankin is interested in administrating the program and can supply space."

The new program would be implemented solely in Rankin to begin with and, if successful, expansion would be looked at.

Kivalliq justice committees could have a large role to play.

"Because every community has a justice committee, we'd like to see the Rankin committee monitor the program here.

"If expansion came about, we'd utilize the other committees to monitor and provide extra cultural support to the program."

Tulloch says the new program has to be appropriate, consistent and multifaceted to ensure it provides help to the accused, victim and families.

"Nothing we're ever going to do will be perfect, but we see this program as being some help in addressing a community problem."