The allegations of sexual assault by provincial police officers raised by aboriginal women in Val-d’Or, Quebec last week underline why a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women is required, Manitoba Keewatinook Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson said in a statement of solidarity Oct. 27.
“The allegations of abuse and sexual assault of Indigenous women by provincial police in Quebec have shocked me” said North Wilson. “I realized that a national inquiry is needed to raise the voices of our communities to disclose their stories of how some in the policing field have failed them.”
She has heard concerns about policing in Manitoba First Nations without their own police forces as well.
“Our women and men, particularly in our remote communities, have disclosed to me and our organization examples of how they continue to lose faith in how provincial police services are currently being held in our First Nation communities,” said the grand chief. “Our members who live in urban areas have shared similar concerns.”
Examples of sub-par policing cited by North Wilson included failure to adequately share information about missing and murdered people with their families and community leaders, lack of support for local search and rescue efforts and negative attitudes of some police toward aboriginal people.
MKO is also unhappy about not being involved in the discussions about the replacement of the former Provincial Police Act with the Police Services Act in 2012 or in the renewal of the Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA) for 20 years that same year. The PPSA is a 20-year federal-provincial agreement under which the RCMP provides policing services across Manitoba and in most of MKO’s 30 member First Nations in Northern Manitoba where there is no municipal police force, self-administered First Nations police force or Community Tri-Partite Policing Agreement. Under the terms of the PPSA, Manitoba pays 70 per cent of the costs of policing services and the federal government 30 per cent.
MKO wants any national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women to recognize the crucial role special constables play in ensuring police forces working on First Nations have local representation among their ranks.
“Having police service providers that are First Nation-led would lead to improved relationships with our communities and better address the public safety concerns of First Nations for the protection of our women, children and our families,” said North Wilson.
MKO is urging the new federal government to hold an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women.
“MKO and the MKO First Nations have been knocking on closed doors for at least the past four years to try to make sure that the national inquiry is held,” North Wilson said. “With the recent election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we continue to press upon the federal government to act to ensure that a national inquiry is held that respects the participation of Indigenous communities, families and leadership.”
That sentiment is echoed by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), which issued a statement the day after the election congratulating Trudeau and his party and calling for action on issues concerning First Nations.
“Canadians from coast to coast spoke loud and clearly, and turned out in record numbers to put an end to fear based politics that was dividing the country and undermining democratic values and processes,” said AMC Grand Chief Derek Nepinak in an Oct. 20 press release. “Most apparent and perhaps most importantly, Canadians saw detrimental and purposeful steps taken to ignore a national crime against indigenous women and girls contributing to a profoundly damaged relationship between Indigenous peoples and the federal government.”
The difference between the Liberals and the Conservatives, said the release, will be measured by how the Liberals act when it comes to calling a national inquiry, preserving indigenous languages, providing clean drinking water and putting First Nations in charge of First Nations education.
North Wilson is seeking to meet with RCMP “D” Division commanding officer Asst. Commissioner Kevin Brosseau and Winnipeg Police Service Chief Devon Clunis to talk about solutions to policing issues.
