Parliamentary Committee Notes: RCMP Culturally-Responsive Policing

RCMP Speaking Points:

• The RCMP has a long history as Canada’s national police service, steeped in and reflecting Canada’s evolution as a country. As it commemorated its 150 years of service in 2023, the RCMP recognizes that it is at a crossroad in its history with Indigenous Peoples.
• The organization has acted to begin the journey of building trust and is committed to establishing a new path, working with Indigenous Peoples, and building meaningful, long-lasting actions into our everyday work.
• The RCMP National Reconciliation Pathway is the foundational framework for the organization to ensure it delivers on its commitment to reconciliation. Implementation for change is via three core elements, one of which is providing culturally-responsive policing services.
• As the RCMP renews its priorities and commitments for reconciliation, the organization continues to work to ensure First Nations, Métis and Inuit voices, perspectives and advice guide new and innovative ways of working. This includes efforts to apply an Indigenous GBA+ lens and to review all policies, practices and procedures to ensure service delivery is culturally appropriate. In addition, the RCMP will embed trauma-informed approaches across the organization to increase safety for Indigenous women and girls.
• The RCMP’s First Nations and Inuit Policing Program is built upon the priority and the right for all Canadians to receive culturally-responsive and respectful police services, in order to contribute to safer and healthier Indigenous communities.

If Pressed on Accomplishments towards Culturally-Responsive Policing:

To date, the RCMP has:

• published a report on reconciliation entitled RCMP Path of Reconciliation: Strengthening Trust in the RCMP, which reflects the RCMP’s collaborative and community driven approach to reconciliation with Indigenous communities, peoples and employees;
• created individual reconciliation strategic plans for each division and business line;
• contributed to the Federal Pathway and National Action Plan, co-developed with Indigenous organizations and provincial/territorial governments to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people; and,
• undertaken efforts to finalize a National Reconciliation Pathway for the organization, which was co-developed with an Indigenous consulting firm and from engagement across the organization as well as Indigenous advisors and partners.

If Pressed on Culturally-Responsive Policing Training:

• The RCMP developed the “Cultural Awareness and Humility” course, which is mandatory for all RCMP employees. This course aims to improve capacity across the RCMP to effectively respond to gender-based violence in a trauma-informed manner that is gender and culturally-responsive. This includes responding to violence against Indigenous women and girls.
• The course is designed to increase knowledge, enhance self-awareness and strengthen the skills of RCMP employees who work both directly and indirectly with different cultures. It introduces the concept of ‘cultural humility’ and the fact that learning about different cultures and values can be a life-long undertaking. The immeasurable benefit that comes from valuing other perspectives and ideas is also emphasized. The purpose of this course is to further develop individual competencies and promote positive partnerships.
• This online course is comprised of six (6) modules and will present terminology, diversity, aspects of history, and contexts for understanding social disparities and inequities. Cultures and diversity, stereotyping and myths, as well as Indigenous considerations, will be examined from the Canadian multicultural perspective.
• As of September 2021, a total of 27,866 employees, or 93.5 per cent of all RCMP employees, have completed the Cultural Awareness and Humility Course. This includes police officers and civilian employees.

Background / Current Status:

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) - (2019) 231 Calls for Justice (CFJ)

• CFJ 9.2ii (Establish engagement and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and communities):
  • Formalized relationships with National Indigenous Organization (NIOs) including Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and MOUs/protocol agreements being pursued with remaining NIOs.
  • Regular advice and input from a distinctions-based and culturally-relevant lens provided to RCMP leadership through the Commissioner’s National Indigenous Advisory Committee and Commanding Officer Indigenous Advisory Committees
• CFJ 9.3 (Increase recruitment of Indigenous Peoples) and 9.3vi (Retain Indigenous officers through relevant employment supports)
  • Establishment of the Office for RCMP-Indigenous Collaboration, Co-Development and Accountability (RICCA) to ensure employees are knowledgeable and representative of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples' cultures, histories and realities, and to support a culturally-safe work environment based on collaboration, trust and recognition.
• CFJ 9.5ii (Improve Communication between police and families of MMIWG and 2SLGBTQQIA people)
  • Improving communication and information to victims and families through consultations and launch of Family Guides for homicide victims or missing persons, which covers the criminal justice process including investigations and corrections; and,
  • The RCMP works with provincial and territorial Family Information Liaison Units (FILUs) to provide information to MMIWG families about their loved ones cases in RCMP jurisdiction in a trauma-informed and culturally-relevant way.

Date modified:

2024-09-26