Parliamentary Committee Notes: National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Proposed Response:
Public Safety Canada is committed to working with its portfolio partners, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and other government departments and agencies, as well as Indigenous partners, to support the implementation of the Calls for Justice and to advance the 2021 Federal Pathway (to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People).
If pressed on Public Safety’s response to the calls for justice
- Public Safety Canada is responding to Calls for Justice #5.4 and #5.5 through the expansion and stabilization of the First Nation and Inuit Policing Program, additional funding for policing infrastructure, and through the co-development of First Nations policing legislation which would recognize First Nation police services as essential services.
- Public Safety Canada’s Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and its coordination with the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund further respond to Calls for Justice #3.4, #3.5, and #5.5.
- In response to Calls for Justice #3.3, #3.4, and #5.5, Public Safety Canada supports the Horizontal Initiative of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGTQI+ people through its close coordination with other federal departments and by implementing initiatives to support culturally-responsive policing and community safety services in Indigenous communities.
If pressed on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s response to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report:
- The Royal Canadian Mounted Police contributed to the Government of Canada's National Action Plan, which was co-developed with Indigenous organizations and provincial/territorial governments to address violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGTQI+ people.
- To date, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have sought to attract Indigenous applicants, deliver new training, strengthen investigations, and collaborate and consult with Indigenous leaders and Elders.
- Public Safety Canada supports the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s efforts to modernize by using a trauma-informed approach to co-develop reconciliation strategies with communities, employees, and advocates.
If Pressed on Red Dress Alert :
- Public Safety Canada is supporting Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada as it works with federal, provincial and grassroots partners to advance this important initiative.
- Public Safety Canada will continue to provide technical advice as needed with respect to the development of a Red Dress Alert system in Canada.
- Public Safety Canada is also positioned to discuss specific proposals for local, regional or national alerting systems, once they are confirmed with Indigenous partners, with the First Nation and Inuit police services that are supported under the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program.
Background:
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was launched as a key government initiative to end the disproportionally high levels of violence faced by Indigenous women and girls. The inquiry was also the Government of Canada's response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action #41.
A Final Report was delivered on June third, 2019. It calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve a crisis that has had lasting effects on Indigenous communities across Canada. The Final Report delivers 231 individual Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Canadians.
On June third, 2021, the Government of Canada released a “Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People”, as well as a partner-led Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People “National Action Plan”.
The Federal Pathway outlines Government’s plan to implement its portion of the goals set forth in the National Action Plan, and to advance progress on the 231 Calls for Justice, and the 62 Calls for Miskotahâ – the latter were released in a report by les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak.
Calls for Justice related to Public Safety Canada’s mandate include:
- Call #3.3 – “We call upon all governments to fully support First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities to call on Elders, Grandmothers, and other Knowledge Keepers to establish community-based trauma-informed programs for survivors of trauma and violence.”
- Call #3.4 – “We call upon all governments to ensure that all Indigenous communities receive immediate and necessary resources, including funding and support, for the establishment of sustainable, permanent, no-barrier, preventative, accessible, holistic, wraparound services, including mobile trauma and addictions recovery teams. […]”
- Call #5.4 – “We call upon all governments to immediately and dramatically transform Indigenous policing from its current state as a mere delegation to an exercise in self-governance and self-determination over policing. To do this, the federal government’s First Nations Policing Program must be replaced with a new legislative and funding framework, consistent with international and domestic policing best practices and standards, that must be developed by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments in partnership with Indigenous Peoples […].”
- Call #5.5 – “We call upon all governments to fund the provision of policing services within Indigenous communities in northern and remote areas in a manner that ensures that those services meet the safety and justice needs of the communities and that the quality of policing services is equitable to that provided to non-Indigenous Canadians.”
In response to Calls for Justice #3.3, #3.4, and #5.5, Public Safety Canada has invested $6.27 million through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement and $64.6 million through Budget 2021 to fund the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Northern Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund. The Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative supports Indigenous communities to deliver community-led, Indigenous designed planning programs that support the development of community safety plans. The Northern Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund supports the implementation of culturally sensitive crime prevention practices that focus on addressing community-identified safety needs. Community safety plans to identify community strengths, assets, and safety and wellness goals to involve all community members in a path towards a healthier, safer home and community life.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:
The Final Report extensively examines the actions and responses of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. It scrutinizes past investigations, highlighting instances where law enforcement failed to adequately address reports of violence or provide support to victims' families. It also emphasizes the importance of accountability and transparency within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, calling for reviewing past cases and implementing measures to address systemic biases and shortcomings in policing practices related to Indigenous communities. It also calls upon the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to engage in meaningful dialogue with Indigenous communities, prioritize cultural competency training for officers, and establish protocols for collaborating with Indigenous organizations and leaders.
Calls for Justice directed at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police outline specific steps to address the root causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have specifically worked towards addressing Calls for a more representative workforce of Indigenous communities through hiring campaigns, working through established advisory boards like the Commissioners’ National Indigenous Advisory and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Indigenous Collaboration, Co-development and Accountability Unit.
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