National Chief Perry Bellegarde to police forces: Don't wait for end of MMIW inquiry

Police services must take action on missing and murdered Indigenous women before the conclusion of a federal inquiry,the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations told police chiefs Tuesday.

"Don't wait for the recommendations. That's two years away,"National Chief Perry Bellegarde told a reconciliation-inspired gathering of Canadian police chiefs, justice officials and Indigenous leaders in a Wednesday morningaddress at Winnipeg's Fairmont Hotel.

Bellegarde said Canadian police services and all levels of governmentcanstart tacklingthe socio-economicdivide between Canada's Indigenous and non-Indigenous citizens now as a means of preventing more violence.

While Canada enjoys the sixth-highest standard of living in the world, that ranking plummets to 63rdwhenIndigenous Canadians' standard of living is measured alone, he said.

Things can happen now

"When you start talking about these root causes, these root causes, well, yeah, we know it's poverty. It's always the gap in education, the housing, the wellness centres, the detox centres. All these things we need. Transportation issues. You don't have to wait two years to deal withthose things. Things can happen now."

Bellegardesaid he knows Canadian police services in particular are changing, citing improvements made in Saskatoon since the days of the infamous "starlight tours," in whichFirst Nations people perceived as troublemakers were left outside town by police. He nonetheless urged police to help implement 22 justice-related recommendations of theTruth and Reconciliation commission, urging police to "create space" for Indigenous Canadians by"opening up their hearts, their minds and their spirits."

"I see you all as allies. I see you all as colleagues," said Bellegarde, who nonetheless acknowledged he still fears the lights on police cruisers will light up whenever they pass him. "I don't know why. I have to work on that."

He asked police chiefs whether they had systems in place to ensure Indigenous officers canrise up the ranks and take part in decision-making.

He also urged them to prepare for scrutiny when the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women begins.

RAW: National Chief Perry Bellegarde talks about closing the gap in services between First Nations and the rest of Canada

8 years ago

Duration 1:20

Police services must take action on missing and murdered Indigenous women before the conclusion of a federal inquiry, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations told police chiefs Tuesday.

Fingers pointed

"Prepare yourselves. Get your statistics together. Fingers are going to be pointed," he said.

Saskatoon police chief Clive Weighill, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, said police services have already changed the way they handle missing persons cases.

"The days of waiting 24 hours to report a missing person are gone. Almost every policy in Canada now, if somebody reports somebody missing, we get on that immediately," Weighill told reporters after Bellegarde's address.

Bellegarde also said First Nations must take more control of aspects of the Canadian legal system. First Nations ought tohave the power to issue death certificates andmarriage licenses and also have jurisdiction overcitizenship, he said.

Bellegarde also plans to address Canada's big city mayors, who will gather in Winnipeg Thursday for a meeting that will kick off a conference held bythe Canadian Federation of Municipalities.

"Fifty per cent of our people live off reserve. They reside in the cities. The main message tomorrow will be do they have a strategy and plan about First Nations engagement when tocomes employment, training and daycare. There are services and programsthat are needed in the large urban centres to make sure they don't fall through the cracks."

RAW: AFM National Chief Perry Bellegarde warns Police Chiefs to be prepared for criticism at the Inquiry into MMIW

8 years ago

Duration 0:46

Police services must take action on missing and murdered Indigenous women before the conclusion of a federal inquiry, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations told police chiefs Tuesday.