Quebec orders public inquiry into deaths of missing Carpentier girls killed by father

QuebecPublic Security Minister Genevive Guilbault has asked the coroner's office to launch a public inquiry into the deaths of two young girlsand their father who killed them,after a Radio-Canada investigation revealed the search for the missing girls was mishandled.

The sisters, Norah and Romy Carpentier, aged 11 and 6, went missing with their father on July 8, 2020, after a car crash on Highway 20 in Saint-Apollinaire, Que., a municipality about 45 kilometres southwest of Quebec City.

A coroner's report released in November 2021 concluded thatMartin Carpentier killed his daughters with a blunt object in the woods the day after the crash, before taking his own life.

Earlier this week, the Quebeccoroner's office announced that it would take another look at how provincial police conducted the search for the girls in light ofnew informationit received afterMarch 10, when Radio-Canada's investigative programEnqutebroadcast a report on that search.

TheEnqutereport revealed that mistakes made early on in the provincial police search for the girls cost precious hours that might have made the difference betweenlife and death.

In a statement Monday, the coroner's office said Coroner Sophie Rgnire, who conducted the initial inquest, would determine whether the report on that inquestneededto be amended in light of information that had not been previously made available to her, or even whether a public inquiry is needed.

Guilbault said she was "troubled" by the Enqute report, and while she has full confidence in the abilities of the Sret du Qubec(SQ), she saidthe public inquiry she is ordering is necessary to restore the public's confidence.

"It's important that people know that if there are disappearances that happen in Quebec, thatpolice forces have the capacity and the competency tohandle these situations," said Guilbault.

She said the need fora public inquiry is not a reflection on the quality of Rgnire's initial report, which she said was a "good, substantial report." Guilbault said the SQ is also in favour of a public inquiry.

In a statement, SQ spokesperson Catherine Bernard said that the force would co-operate fuly with the inquiry but declined to make any further comment.

The Enquteinvestigationalso highlighted how, a year before the Carpentier sisters were killed, the SQ had abolished threeemergency search unitsmade up of 70 officers who specialized in ground searches, with a plan toredeploy many of those officersas highway patrollers.

Opposition parties criticized the CAQgovernment for this change, butGuilbault said this was an "operational decision" made by SQleadership, not by the government itself.

She pointed outthe provincial budget tabled Tuesday includes $10.1 million over five years to "intensify search efforts for missing and abducted persons."

The government says it will mandate the SQ to collaborate with municipal and Indigenous police forces, increase forensic laboratory resources and grant additional funding to organizations supporting families of missing persons.

But Jean Rousselle, Liberalpublic security critic, says those changes are coming too slowly.

"Nothing has been corrected, as we speak.If a child or someone is lost, there is not a specialized unit to lead the search, because it was dismantled," said Rousselle.

'It should never happen again'

Earlier this week, the girls' mother,Amlie Lemieux,called on Guibault to step in and ensure a full investigation is launched.

Guilbault said that she had heard Lemieux's "heartfelt pleas"and said she "deserves answers to her questions."

"All information will be public, and I hope this willgive her theanswers that she is looking for," said Guilbault.

Lemieux said Wednesday, it was a relief to know that she will finally have the full truth about her daughters' deaths.

"But I would be lying to myself if I said that this was sufficient. I wish I didn't have to keep digging and begging. I would have liked it if, from day one of the investigation, 21 months ago, [the truth]had come out," Lemieux said.

"There are mistakes that were made. It should never happen again. I would never wish what I've gone through upon any parent," she said.

Guilbault said she had not yet spoken with Lemieuxpersonally, but said she was open to meeting her.

In response, Lemieux said she wished the minister's office had reached out to her personally, instead of her having to follow media reports like everyone else.

"I know she has busy days, but what would it have taken to send someone to say, 'Mme. Lemieux, we have heard you,'"said Lemieux.

She said she would be waiting for the minister's call.