OTTAWA—Three Indigenous police services whose contracts have run out with the federal- and provincially-funded First Nations and Inuit Policing Program are taking the government to court and are seeking an emergency injunction to keep funding flowing and force the federal government to enter into meaningful negotiations to address a three-decade funding shortfall.
The Anishinabek Nation Chiefs-in-Assembly declared a state of emergency on June 7 in response to the lack of funding.
NDP Critic for Indigenous Services and Crown-Indigenous Relations Lori Idlout (Nunavut) took the Minister of Public safety to task in the House of Commons last week, citing that First Nations Police Services in Northern Ontario have stopped receiving funding under the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program.
“Before colonialism, Inuit, First Nations and Métis had their own forms of policing,” said MP Idlout in the House of Commons. “First Nations in Northern Ontario undertook their own community policing. But this government is going against reconciliation by refusing to negotiate new agreements.”
“That is exactly what they did,” said UCCMM Tribal Chair Patsy Corbiere. “There was no ‘negotiation.’ I was in some of those meetings. They just handed over the contract and laid it on the line.”
As of March 31, Treaty Three Police Service, Anishinabek Police Service and the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service, which are funded under tripartite agreements under the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, were facing hardship because they did not sign imposed take-it-or-leave-it contracts. Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory has signed an agreement that would see 14 new officers hired in their communities.
Chief Corbiere noted that Indigenous police services have been chronically underfunded for 30 years. “It’s always the same story, they say things will be different this time and yet when it comes time, they still are not meeting the needs of our police services.”
Chief Corbiere pointed out that Indigenous Police Services have already won a landmark court case. “We should not have to jump through these hoops, going to court, to get equitable funding for our police,” she said.
The First Nations and Inuit Policing Program normally covers operating costs for the three police services that are currently in contract limbo. The federal government administers the program and provides 52 percent of the funding. The province of Ontario provides 48 percent of the funding, while the respective First Nation communities also provide a small amount of additional funding.
Although the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program is jointly funded, Chief Corbiere lays the blame for the current contract impasse squarely at the feet of the federal government. “It’s them that are refusing to budge,” she stated.
Nonetheless, the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario have launched legal actions in both Federal Court and the Canadian Human Rights Commission regarding the contract impasses.
The Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario have engaged lawyer Julian Falconer to see their case through those processes. Mr. Falconer has called the government’s approach “discriminatory and inequitable.”
Although MP Ilout alleged in the House that, “This leaves 30,000 people without local police forces.” Chief Corbiere responded that UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service officers are still serving their communities. “There was a short extension to the contract, and the police do have lines of credit to tide them over this situation,” she said, reassuring residents in UCCMM communities they are not unprotected.”
Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes has previously asked the government to uphold their commitment to First Nations policing.
“This issue cuts to the very heart of reconciliation and the government’s refusal to negotiate fair contracts that respond to the needs of First Nations communities is exceptionally disheartening,” said MP Hughes “No other major police service would have their entire budget slashed because of contract disagreements.”
“We are dealing with major issues of gangs and drugs coming into our communities from down south,” noted Chief Corbiere. “Our police are having to deal with many issues that were not as much of a crisis 30 years ago. Our community members deserve to be able to enjoy peace and security that other communities enjoy.”
In a comment that illustrates the frustration being felt by an Indigenous leader who normally seeks negotiation over confrontation, Chief Corbiere asked “what do we have to do, start blocking roads and highways in order to get them to engage in meaningful negotiations? Does it have to come to that?”
