I think we really have to focus on accessibility. What is accessible to the average individual who may not have the privilege of being able to file formal complaints? As an example, we have many indigenous people in Canada who live in remote, isolated locations and have had traumatic experiences with police officers through police brutality and systemic and structural racism. We have to look at how we are going to provide those opportunities for accessibility. What does that look like?
It looks very different from someone sitting in a place of privilege compared to a lot of us in the general population who often fear systems and structures because of the violence we have experienced through racism. When I look at it, when I say “accessibility”, it has to be safe. It has to provide opportunities like what one witness shared about the different languages.
There also has to be funding made available to different organizations that can support filing these complaints through independence. It's often us volunteers who try to champion change. Many volunteers are doing this in addition to carrying out their work-related responsibilities. It's often on a volunteer basis. We need to ensure that there are equitable, funded mechanisms to be able to support individuals who want to share their story of injustice, and to have the appropriate actions taken to create systems that are responsive and respectful as well.