First Nation Police Services Demand Their Day in Court: Canada Called out on Stall Tactics

December 5, 2024

On December 5, 2024, First Nations community leaders and police service representatives gathered in Ottawa to provide an update on the human rights complaint of the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario (“IPCO”). IPCO’s complaint, launched in March 2023, challenges Canada’s decades of chronic underfunding of First Nations community safety under the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (“FNIPP”).

The human rights complaint, which comes on the heels of court victories by Quebec First Nation police services, focuses on the widespread failings of the national First Nations policing program. In particular, the complaint shows how Canada’s chronic underfunding of community safety, and refusal to honourably negotiate with First Nations, is having a profound effect on the safety of First Nation communities.

Public Safety Canada (“Canada”), the federal ministry responsible for administering the FNIPP, has responded to the human rights complaint by doing everything possible to avoid, delay, and adjourn the upcoming three-week Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearing, which is scheduled for January 6-24, 2025.

Canada’s tactics at the Tribunal include: repeatedly raising the prospect of bringing an adjournment motion without actually doing so; bringing a failed motion to limit the scope of the case; burying the First Nations in requests for documents already in Canada’s possession; and, after those tactics failed, filing a late request to adjourn the hearing, barely one month before the case is scheduled to be heard.

“First Nations community safety has suffered for too long – it is time for Canada to be accountable for their actions and let us have our day in Court. Public Safety Canada needs to make good on its promise to First Nations that they deserve the same safety conditions as everyone else in this country.”

Patsy Corbiere, Tribal Chair, United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising

“No more delays. That is what our communities keep telling us, and that is what we keep telling Canada. For too long Canada has been able to evade responsibility for their

actions. They refuse to fund our police services, and they refuse to listen when we tell them about the terrible safety conditions in our communities. This simply cannot continue, and that is why we are again asking Canada to stop relying upon delay tactics.”

Anna Betty Achneepineskum, Deputy Grand Chief, Nishnawbe Aski Nation

“Canada is doing everything they can to avoid this hearing, even though it has been scheduled since May this year. Canada’s actions, while disappointing, are not surprising. The use of these procedural hurdles to prevent First Nations people from advocating for themselves is just another example of Canada’s dishonourable behaviour.”

Linda Debassige, Grand Council Chief, Anishinabek Nation

“We need Canada to negotiate honourably and provide our communities with policing equal and equitable to what non-First Nations peoples enjoy today. We will not allow our community of Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg Unsurrendered to suffer because of Canada’s neglectful treatment. We can no longer afford to wait while lives are lost, and our community lives in fear.”

Louis Kwissiwa, Chief, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg Unsurrendered

“As police chief for one of Ontario’s nine self-administered First Nation police services, I see firsthand the terrible consequences of Canada’s inaction. Our officers and civilian staff are asked to do more with less, and our community members suffer the consequences. The drug crisis and gang infiltration of First Nations is real, and it is here. Meanwhile, Canada tells us we can’t have the resources to address this crisis.”

Jeff Skye, Chief of Police, Anishinabek Police Service

“IPCO was created with the idea of ‘Unity for Equality’, to work together to advocate for the safety needs of First Nation communities. What those communities need now is for Canada to stop delaying and start taking responsibility. How can reconciliation be

achieved when Canada won’t even allow these communities to have their day in Court?”

Kai Liu, Executive Director, Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario

“Last week, the Supreme Court sent a resounding message to Canada: fix this program and start delivering on the equitable policing guarantees of Canada’s own, thirty-year-old Policy. After decades of false promises and superficial commitments to reconciliation, the Court has made clear that reform is long overdue. By continually relying on procedural tactics to delay justice, it’s clear Canada hasn’t heard that message.”

For more information please contact:
Michael Heintzman,
Director of Communications
Cell: (807) 621-2790
mheintzman@nan.ca

NT4