Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Oct. 22nd, 2025

[Annick Wylde]

At the community station where I worked, it was positive in that regard. However, a number of things were not respected. I can't tell you specifically which of the Viens commission's calls to action were not met. Even though I didn't write them down, I can tell you that not all of them were respected by the government. However, others were, and it was a success.

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

There seems to be a serious inability to recognize that indigenous policing is an essential service. There are ongoing discussions on that. This is very important, particularly in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. There's also talk of establishing an Anishinabe regional indigenous police force.

How could designating indigenous police services as an essential service make a real difference for you?

[Annick Wylde]

First, indigenous police services need to be designated an essential service, and it needs to be enshrined in law.

Right now, it's considered merely an initiative. It's critical that indigenous policing be seen that way. The 22 indigenous police forces in Quebec could benefit from this designation. It should already have been done.

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

We also need more indigenous police services.

Meegwetch.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you.

That's six minutes. Thank you.

Next is the second round.

This will be five minutes for Jamie from the Conservatives.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to our witnesses on this very important study as we try to figure out a path forward with indigenous policing. I think all sides are extremely interested in finding a path forward to making this a reality one day, hopefully sooner rather than later.

I have a question for both witnesses. Chief Buckskin, I'll start with you, if I could.

You listed some of the challenges through previous questions. I apologize if I missed it, but perhaps I can get an idea of what types of crimes you are seeing most often. Are you seeing a small number of people repeating and the justice system failing with the bail system we currently have sending repeat offenders back out so quickly?

Could you give us a kind of picture of what you're dealing with?

I'll get the director to respond to the same question, and then I have some follow-up questions.

[Grant Buckskin]

Absolutely.

What we deal with out here on a regular basis is what you would refer to as crimes against persons. We have a lot of violent crime and we have a lot of aggravated assault. The recidivism rate is quite high. Our bail and our catch and release programs are ineffective. We go out, catch a bad guy, put him in jail and he's back out. You're sitting there looking at his criminal record and his past and thinking that perhaps this guy should not be out, yet he's right back out. I don't have an answer to how to fix it, nor would I even suggest that I know where to start.

Our justice system needs some overhauling. That could lead us right back, especially on the first nations side.... We have all these social problems. We are all educated here and we all know, particularly in first nations communities, where all these social problems began. We're still dealing with it. These are the residual effects of the colonization that has gone on in the past.

I totally understand that as a police officer and I understand that as a first nations person. There has to be change done, whether it's through the justice system or through how we're conducting our bail hearings. The whole process itself needs to be addressed and changed.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes, ON]

Thank you, Chief.

Director, it's the same question for you, please.

[Annick Wylde]

Can you repeat your question, please?

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes, ON]

Yes, absolutely. It was more about getting a picture of what you and your team are dealing with on a daily basis. From what we've been hearing from previous witnesses, there are, usually, a small number of people creating more crime. They get arrested, are out on bail and are immediately back in the community, doing the same thing. I just want to get a picture of whether you're dealing with the exact same thing that we heard in previous testimony.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

You have about 30 seconds to condense that.

[Annick Wylde]

We certainly have major social problems as well.

It surely stems from residential schools. This is nothing new. I think the justice system needs to be overhauled, as Mr. Buckskin said. The situation is the same for us in Quebec.

I, too, come across family members in my work. We arrest them, the justice system releases them and they return to the community. Then we're the ones who have to deal with those individuals and manage those situations. We must always be consulted first in the event of major changes, and it's about listening.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you very much.

Ginette, you have five minutes, please.

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

Thank you both for your testimony today, for being here with us and sharing your important information. I have a question, again, for each of you.

Chief Buckskin, I believe that recently the Blood Tribe Police Service received $6.8 million in federal funding through the first nations and Inuit policing facilities program for the construction of a new detachment. I understand that both the Province of Alberta and the Blood Tribe also contributed to this important project, showing that these kinds of partnerships, when everyone is involved at the table and contributing, really demonstrate how we can progress together and move things forward. From your perspective, what can we do to build on this kind of collaboration to ensure that long-term and sustainable support is there for indigenous policing?

[Grant Buckskin]

To me, the answer is quite obvious. That would be that first nations receive essential services designation. Getting that puts us on an equitable...and it's fair. It's all of the issues that we spoke of earlier, particularly recruiting and retention. Since I was appointed as the chief of police, I have lost probably 10 officers to other police services. For each one, when we do an exit interview, it always comes down to the same thing: We do not have a robust pension plan.

We have tried to enter into pension plans within Alberta and federally, but we've been met with nothing but roadblocks. The main point in all these arguments is the funding model, because it's a program. They're scared to take us on because they're afraid that, as with any program, the funding could stop. It could be shut down, and they would lose their share as well. For us, the biggest one, and the one that's going to improve everything for us as a first nations police service is that essential police services designation.

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

Thank you very much for that answer.

My next question is for Annick Wylde.

You recently received support from the Quebec government to launch a homelessness and mental health intervention model. This partnership between police and psychosocial workers is somewhat inspired by the approach used in Val-d'Or.

Could you tell us a little more about this approach with the community? What are you hoping to achieve with this model?

[Annick Wylde]

I hope we'll have good collaboration to help the community. It will be easier for our police officers when things escalate during their response. It will also be faster when we have problems with individuals affected by the Act respecting the protection of persons whose mental state presents a danger to themselves or others. Having a responder there will help police officers on the ground.

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

Has the project already begun?

[Annick Wylde]

It will be starting soon.

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

In February, police officers were still waiting to hire psychosocial intervention resources.

Is that still an issue, or have certain recruitment targets been met?

[Annick Wylde]

It's quite a challenge to have a resource from the community to establish a relationship of trust.

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you.

Now we'll go to Monsieur Lemire for two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Director Wylde, earlier this week, we heard from Captain Robert Durant of the Val-d'Or police. I found it interesting to hear him talk about the joint forces and collaborating with your police service. He told us that you had to make difficult choices because of funding, if I understood correctly.

Can you explain to us how the lack of funding has had an impact on the services you provide on the ground as part of this joint police force?

[Annick Wylde]

I wasn't there when the funding for the community station was cut. I was repatriated here before that, so it didn't affect me.