Parliamentary Committee Notes: Detailed Action Plan – OAG Audit of FNIPP

Given the long-standing issues with the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, and given the federal government’s commitment to truth and reconciliation, Public Safety Canada should work with First Nations and Inuit communities, the provinces and territories, and the RCMP to develop and implement a renewed approach to the program. This approach should include:

Agreed. Public Safety Canada recognizes that collaboration and partnership with First Nations and Inuit communities as well as with the provinces and territories and law enforcement agencies, including the RCMP, is needed to improve the strategic focus and measurable impact of the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP). Public Safety Canada is committed to pursuing these improvements in a manner that respects the jurisdiction of provinces and territories over operational policing requirements and priorities, and reconfirms the role of the federal government as a financial contributor to culturally-sensitive and results-oriented policing.

To this end, starting in 2024-25, Public Safety Canada will engage with external partners and develop a program improvement action plan that will include:

Public Safety Canada

PS will work in conjunction with provinces, territories and Indigenous Communities including law enforcement to develop a program improvement plan for the FNIPP.

The plan will set out timelines for engagement with partners and technical experts.

FY 2024-25

• updating the 1996 First Nations Policing Policy.

• Proposed updates to the 1996 First Nations Policing Policy and the Terms and Conditions that govern FNIPP

Public Safety Canada

Recognizing the complexity of the operating context for First Nations and Inuit policing, the updated policy must be subject to external engagement. It should be amended to reflect the current context and should set out medium and long-term outcomes to be achieved.

PS will lead the development of a plan which sets out timelines and steps for reviewing the First Nations and Inuit Policing policy. The plan will identify potential research and analysis needed to frame policy changes.

This plan will include:

• Timelines to engage provinces and territories through the FPT FNIPP Working Group and the FPT First Nations Policing Committee;
• Timelines for engaging with First Nations and Inuit communities on medium and long-term policing needs to inform the policy update and program changes; and,
• Timelines for delivering an updated Policing Policy

FY 2024-25

• immediately revising the current funding allocation process so that it allows for the timely funding to recipients, the disbursement of program funds, and the achievement of the department’s commitment to equitable funding. The revision should take into account the timing of provincial and territorial funding as well as solutions to disburse federal funds available when provinces and territories are unable to secure their share of the funding.

An updated program governance framework, that i) reconfirms how demand for improved policing and community safety initiatives will be tracked by provinces and territories of jurisdiction; ii) clarifies how available federal funding will be prioritized and how the concept of equity will be implemented through federal funding allocations; iii) and how Public Safety Canada and provincial and territorial partners will seek to ensure the administrative efficiency, predictability and timeliness of funding transfers to recipients in implementing the 52% federal /48% provincial/territorial cost-sharing requirements of the program.

Public Safety Canada

PS will undertake analysis to identify opportunities to deliver funding more efficiently and equitably.

FY 2024-25

• developing a mechanism to track the interest, needs, and demand for the program by jurisdiction. The information collected should be used to inform future funding requests and equitable allocation for the program.

An updated program governance framework, that i) reconfirms how demand for improved policing and community safety initiatives will be tracked by provinces and territories of jurisdiction;

Public Safety Canada

In collaboration with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners PS will revise and implement its program governance framework to include a process for tracking funding needs/requests. The process will include criteria to assess stages of readiness.

FY 2025-26

• working in partnership with program recipients in a consistent and meaningful manner. Engagement by department officials should be supported by monitoring and feedback, mandatory cultural training, and guidance on the nature, timing, frequency, and expected measurable outcomes of engagement.

• A proposed approach for strengthening the strategic alignment of FNIPP investments with other federal and provincial/territorial initiatives aimed at improving culturally-appropriate policing and community safety outcomes in First Nations and Inuit communities.

Public Safety Canada

PS will work with regional program managers, the RCMP and relevant provinces and territories to develop and implement an engagement strategy with CTA recipients.

FY 2025-26

• In 2024-25, Public Safety Canada will also establish and implement a new series of mandatory training requirements for staff working on FNIPP, including community familiarization and cultural competency training.

• updating performance measurement and reporting so that the department, provinces and territories, and First Nations and Inuit communities know whether the program is achieving its intended results and outcomes and so that the department can make adjustments as needed.

This approach should be culturally sensitive and include collecting, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting performance data that is distinction-based and intersectional.

• An updated program results measurement framework that has been collaboratively developed with provinces and territories of jurisdiction and Indigenous partners funded by the program.

Public Safety Canada

PS will work collaboratively with PTs and Indigenous partners to develop an engagement plan to review, assess and update the program results measurement framework.

Officials will make best efforts to ensure that the new program results measurement framework be sensitive to intersectionality considerations and that it include collecting, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting performance data that is distinction- based.

FY 2024-25

Public Safety Canada and the RCMP, in collaboration with First Nations and Inuit communities and with provinces and territories, should collaborate before new and renewed community tripartite agreements are signed to determine what is possible to offer to communities on the basis of resource capacity.

Agreed. Public Safety Canada recognizes that the renewal and initiation of new community tripartite agreements puts additional resource requirements on the RCMP and that prior consultation will be undertaken before they are signed. Along with the RCMP, Public Safety Canada has already begun the implementation of the recommendation through discussion and careful consideration of their recruitment and retention challenges. Capacity to fill positions is at the forefront of conversations with provinces and territories where community tripartite agreements are the primary vehicle for the Program.

Public Safety Canada, and RCMP

In collaboration with RCMP, PS will continue the development an integration plan to increase participation of RCMP at key stages of program delivery (review of program, renewal of agreements, new allocations, discussions with Stakeholders, monitoring and evaluation, etc.).

FY 2025-26