BAKER LAKE - The daughter of a female elder who had her body desecrated after burial in a Baker Lake cemetery this past year said traditional Inuit values and knowledge have to play a role in Canadian law being administered in Nunavut.

Bobby Suwarak, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecently interfering with human remains in the case.

He will be sentenced by Justice Sue Cooper on March 21.

The daughter, often racked with sobs during an interview with Kivalliq News, said Inuit have to become more involved with the law and Inuit Qaujiniajatuqangit given more of a role in its process.

She said there's a need for major healing and help for victims, and change is needed to the maximum allowable sentence (five years) for such unacceptable crimes.

"It seems like you don't have any rights at all anymore, even though you didn't do anything wrong," said the daughter.

"The laws should be more appropriate for Nunavut, so Inuit have the right to speak out and have their opinions and feelings understood."

The daughter said nobody can truly understand what Suwarak put the family through unless they've gone through it themselves.

She said almost everyone cares deeply for their mother and to have something like this happen is devastating.

"No matter what your mother is like, even if she's strict with discipline, she always has love for you.

"You really care for your mom and it's so difficult to know something like this happened to her.

"I've been hurt so many times in so many ways, but this is the worst I've ever experienced.

"I've been hurt so deeply by this - it would be very hard for others to understand."

The daughter said it's been very hard to keep from thinking about what happened to her mom.

She said she tells herself every day that life must go on and the family has to deal with what happened.

"But I wake up and think, 'I'm waking up to what?'

"Thankfully, my family is very good.

"We all listen and try to help and comfort each other."

The daughter said she will find the strength to get through the sentencing.

She said as angry as the family is, there's nothing they can do because the law is the law.

"We have no choice but to try and keep healing, but people must understand what happened to our mom is not acceptable to Inuit.

"We're not supposed to disturb graves anywhere, at any time.

"As a Christian I believe in God and Jesus Christ, and I believe in forgiveness, but it takes a long time.

"We're just human beings, and we have to go through the healing process before we can forgive."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.