“I’m conscious that an extradition request despatched to France has been made public, which ministry officers have simply confirmed,” Lametti mentioned in an e mail to AFP, declining to provide additional particulars.

“It can be crucial for Canada and its worldwide companions that critical crimes are totally investigated and prosecuted.”

The French overseas ministry confirmed it had acquired the request and mentioned it was being processed by justice officers.

The announcement comes shortly after Pope Francis accomplished a landmark journey to Canada, the place he apologized for the abuse of Indigenous youngsters in Catholic-run colleges over many years.

Priest Johannes Rivoire, who spent three many years in Canada’s far north, has been the topic of an arrest warrant in Canada since February, after a brand new criticism was filed in September for a sexual assault that occurred some 47 years in the past.

He has by no means been charged and authorities haven’t specified the variety of alleged victims.

Rivoire had been the topic of an arrest warrant between 1998 and 2017 for sexual abuse of three minors. It was by no means acted upon. The priest left Canada in 1993 and now lives in France, in Lyon.

A supply near the case informed AFP that Rivoire, who has twin nationality, represents “an issue” as a result of it’s “very difficult” to extradite French individuals.

The 93-year-old priest maintained that he’s harmless in current media interviews.

Within the Canadian north, his case stays emblematic of the impunity of sexual abusers within the Church.

“The pope is the chief of the Catholic church and… he should be capable to require Rivoire to face his costs,” Kilikvak Kabloona, the chief govt of a company representing the Inuit in Nunavut, informed AFP through the Pope’s go to.

“We wish Rivoire to be extradited to Canada to face his costs in court docket.”