I'll go as fast as I can to cover everything.
I want to say thank you for letting me present some views about this very important topic today.
I'm the executive director of our organization, which is a non-profit that represents 33 communities across Atlantic Canada and the Gaspé in Quebec. Our organization is an advocacy policy research organization that analyzes and develops culturally relevant alternatives to federal policies that impact Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy and Innu communities and peoples. I have worked for indigenous communities for over 35 years and have had various relationships and dealings with the police over my career.
Racism and the continued existence of racist behaviours, actions or incidents involving police continue to concern our indigenous leadership. The issue must be addressed directly by governments as well as all key stakeholders. It highlights the need for a formal long-term strategy to help ensure any and all racist behaviours or actions are addressed and appropriate actions are taken to allow transformation and implementation of the real changes needed to empower and support indigenous people.
Racism, in many cases, has been institutionalized into a range of very traditional institutions and is not obvious or apparent to those involved in the institutions. Whether the policing structure is local, provincial or national, the mere raising of the issue of racism creates a negative or a hostile response in some people. They believe it's a personal attack on them as individuals.
Remember always that racism is a learned behaviour that may not be obvious or apparent to individuals. It may be invisible to some because of personal bias or set attitudes or values that people have.
Many indigenous people across Canada and Atlantic Canada have a great respect for the police, which they have developed over many decades and which has developed on an individual basis. Indigenous people inside and outside policing structures deal with them and established long-term relationships built on trust and demonstrated commitments and actions. Once such trust is eroded, for whatever reason, so is the relationship. This takes a very long time to rebuild or re-establish, if at all.
Since the start of Canada, after Confederation in 1867 and before, police have played a significant role in the relationship with indigenous groups and people. Police have played a significant role in the implementation of colonial-based policies focused on assimilation and the implementation of some bad things. This terrible foundation planted the root causes of racism, apparent or real, in how policing has been carried out and is carried out today.
Today, I believe the focus on racism in the police will help with critical issues and concerns, develop some concrete strategies for change and demonstrate improvements and results. Perception of a problem such as racism, whether it exists or does not, is an important consideration. Change will not be easy and must be supported by all parties, including across government and the police at all levels, as well as all the impacted stakeholders.
Racism and racist behaviours bring out the worst in people. Those who practise racist behaviours should and must be accountable for their actions. Most recently these behaviours were clearly demonstrated by non-indigenous fishers in Nova Scotia, with the recent conflict involving the implementation of treaty rights and a moderate livelihood fishery. The delays in timing for RCMP to take the necessary actions and follow-up have raised many concerns among our leadership and our communities. The feeling of concern was also expressed by many in the general public. The actions of police were not adequate. The actions took some time.
It is important to learn critical lessons from these incidents. They must and should be avoided at all costs to help build credibility and trust of the police in the communities they serve.
My experiences with the police started a very long time ago, with the wrongful conviction of Donald Marshall Jr. in my home community of Membertou and the subsequent royal commission on the wrongful conviction of Donald Marshall Jr. The recommendations detailed some fundamental changes needed in the justice system and raised considerable concerns about the Sydney police. The legacy and impact of these events made me and many other people from my community and other communities also pay attention to what policing was doing and the services they provided to our communities.
Over the years the types and delivery models and the approaches of policing services to communities have changed and evolved. They have either been municipal police, the RCMP, tribal police forces or municipal police forces again, and each of them has different issues and concerns.
The reality in the past always was that the concerns that indigenous people were identified and addressed, and the necessary changes were made. In a lot of cases, that helped improve the relationship and address things to build a strong relationship over time.
Fundamentally, to help ensure the elimination of racism, the design and delivery of policing services must be done in full partnership with indigenous leadership and directly—