Vuntut Gwitchin chief decries court order that would have sent violent offender back to Old Crow
CBC
The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has declared a state of emergency in order to stop a sex offender from returning to Old Crow.
Christopher Russel Schafer, 45, has a criminal history of violent sexual assaults and other assaults spanning more than 20 years, including a vicious attack in Old Crow in 1999. He also has recent charges of assault, forcible confinement and uttering threats in Whitehorse.
Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Dana Tizya-Tramm said the Yukon Territorial Court ordered Schafer to be released to Old Crow on Saturday. He said they gave the community one day's notice of Schafer's return.
"I think like many others in our community, my voice escaped me for a minute," Tizya-Tramm said of his reaction to the news of the court order.
"Soon after, my heart dropped because I knew there was going to be a lot of pain — pain for the family, pain across the community."
The small town of about 250 people has just two RCMP officers, no doctors and no mental health professionals.
Tizya-Tramm said the court order set the community on edge. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation quickly declared a state of emergency to make it illegal for Schafer to set foot on its lands — he now remains in jail in Whitehorse and is set to appear in court later today.
Tizya-Tramm said he's hopeful the court will allow him to speak on behalf of his people to make it clear the community is not ready for Schafer to return.
He said the court order hurt more because the Vuntut Gwitchin made its position known a year ago that people with a criminal history like Schafer's should not be returned to the community.
"It turns out our voice was overlooked twice, our community was overlooked twice. And this affront to our community was felt all in that moment," he said.
Bonnie Bingham, a councillor with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, said Old Crow still hasn't recovered from the damage Schafer has done in the past.
"There is still unresolved past trauma from the actions of this particular man, and there hasn't been enough work to address and heal the community," she said.
The emergency measure, which also bans anyone from helping Schafer to stay on Vuntut Gwitchin lands, brings a penalty of up to six months in jail for those who violate it.
Tizya-Tramm said his concern isn't just for his community — it's for Schafer as well.
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