The MHA for Torngat Mountains is fuming, saying that officials on board the ferry at Nain searched a woman’s luggage without her permission.

Lela Evans says the woman boarded the Kamutik W in Nain bound for Hopedale. Her four children were with her. The woman told the MHA that when she got on board, officials were already going through her suitcase in full view of everyone. She says nobody else on board was searched.

The MHA says such a search should never have happened without the consent of the passenger.

Evans says they found nothing untoward, but the woman felt a loss of dignity as they went through her things—including clothing and personal items.