Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Nov. 19th, 2025

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you very much, President Chartrand.

That brings us to our last questioner.

Sébastien, you have two and a half minutes, please.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you.

Mr. Chartrand, I think all the witnesses we've heard from during this study agree that legislation should recognize all essential services.

Do you think it's important that the Métis have distinct representation in this legislation? I would also like to add that budget 2025 does not provide any dedicated funding for first nations policing.

You recently signed an agreement for a modern treaty. We are certainly all eager for this treaty to be tabled in the House of Commons so that we can study it here in committee.

Will it include elements recognizing the importance of culturally appropriate justice services by and for Métis?

[David Chartrand]

The best way I can answer that question is by saying I agree with you 100%. I hope the federal government will look at ensuring that, in order for the Red River Métis to have justice, we too need supports. We need policing. We'll fight the fight of equal salaries later. At least we would have some safety and protection in our communities as a necessity. Our treaty is coming before you. It should be in Parliament in a couple of weeks and then hit this committee. I look forward to that. That's 155 years in the making. We've been waiting 155 years. We're very patient people.

I thank the committee for what you're doing, but clearly, at the end of the day, we have to take this thing seriously. There are more gangs, more people in trouble and more people hurting, and we need to find ways to protect them. Right now, the system is overcome with too much. We have to find a way. How do we balance this? We cannot continue. The police can't do anything. The police are only reacting. That's all they're doing, just reacting. There are no more plans for how we find relationships. That's why to be the constable who's speaking there.... I guarantee that constable and the rest of her force has a relationship with their community, their members and their families. They know each other, and they will be able to react.

We have outsiders who come and adjudicate our matters, and they're only coming on emergency calls. The only time they're coming into our towns is to pick up people or charge people; that's it. They're not seen as friends. It's not seen as a relationship. They're seen as somebody they do not trust and somebody they do not have a relationship with. I still try to promote the policing to our community. We have to trust them. We have to work with them. They're there to protect our safety. On the other hand, our people have a lot of mistrust because there are a lot of bad stories out there. There are things that have happened to us and have been done to us that are not well established.

Again, I agree with you 100%, Sébastien. What I wish is that this committee will send a message to Canada that there has to be a Métis-specific Red River policing program in this country.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

My understanding, though, is that, in the short and medium terms, you expect nothing from the federal government in the way of independent services.

I think my time is up, because the chair is looking at me.

Thank you for being here.

[David Chartrand]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Chief Doss-Cody and President Chartrand, for your testimony today.

With the consent of the committee, I would propose adjournment.

We are adjourned.