Val-d'Or allegations create challenge for new Montreal police aboriginal committee

The Montreal police department's new aboriginal community advisory committeecould lead to a major changein the relationship between police and First Nations in Montreal, says one leader in Montreal's urban aboriginal community.

HoweverMelissaMollenDupuis,anorganizerof Idle No More Quebec, says the timing is not ideal.

• Val-d'Or allegations spark crisis at Native Women's Shelter of Montreal
• Aboriginal community reaches 'historic' agreement with Montreal police

The new partnershipcomes as provincial police officers inVal-d'Orfaceallegations of abusing aboriginal women.

"Police they think we're all 'Indians'...and we all think they're all police. Sowe don't [make]any distinction between the federal, provincial or the municipal [police]," saidMollenDupuis.

The newcommunity advisory committee includes roughlynine aboriginal Montrealers and will meet for the first time next week.

Montreal police promised to create thecommittee in a signed agreement with Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network in June.

The goal of that agreement is to improve communications and understanding between Montreal police and aboriginalMontrealers.

Tackling the issues

The committeewilltackle several issues, including developing prevention programs, developing a protocol for when aboriginal women are reported missing and setting up aboriginal culture training for all Montreal police officers.

"[The relationship]isso new that nobody's going to trust it for the moment," saidMollenDupuis, who added that if police succeed in earningtrust, this partnership could lead to a major change in the relationship between First Nations and police in Montreal.

We're being heard, we're pushing our issues forward.-advisory committee memberJenniferBrazeau

Allegations of aboriginal women being abused by provincial police in Val-d'Or were reported by Radio-Canada's investigative program Enqute. Theyare creating yet another challenge when it comes to building bridges.

The Montreal police department hasofficially taken over the investigationinto the alleged abuse by Val-d'Or provincial police officers.

Mollen Dupuis hopes the new partnership between the aboriginal community and police in Montreal is not damaged by the fact there'sopposition toMontreal police investigating provincial police.

"I just hope [Montreal police]aregoing to continue with this new relationship, but not hold it against First Nations for asking for that independent investigation [in Val-d'Or]," she said.

Community partnersoptimistic

Community leaders atthe forefront of the agreement are optimistic about the new partnership withMontreal police.

"They're willing to be trained.That's huge. They're willing to have this table this advisory table. There areso many things they're willing to do," said Nakuset, co-president ofthe Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network.

"We're being heard, we're pushing our issues forward," said advisory committee memberJennifer Brazeau, who is alsoa project manager at Quebec Native Women.

'How can we trust police?'

Montreal police Cmdr.DuDinhsat with members of the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network at the Network's fall meeting last Thursdayto answer questions from the community about the new agreement.

The topic of Val-d'Or kept coming up along with the question: "how can we trust police?"

"Every time there's an issue like that that makes the headlines...that kind of trust relationship is taking a step backward and we have to work harder to go forward," Dinh said in an interview.

Montreal police willing to listen

There's also skepticism about whether Montreal police will really listen to aboriginal members of the new advisorycommittee.

Brazeauinsists they will.

"We've been focusing on having only aboriginal representation on [the committee]to make sure its aboriginal representation with aboriginal perspective that's given to the police force," she said.

In addition to theaboriginal Montrealerson the committee, Dinh and the liaison officer assigned to aboriginal communities will also take part.

"I have to applaud [Montreal police], they've been open, they've been willing to listen to what we have and they've moved more quickly than we ever thought [they would]," Brazeau said.

Initially, Montreal police suggested scheduling the new advisory committee's first meeting in January 2016.

However, after the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network insisted it must happen sooner, Montreal policemoved the meeting to next week.