Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women Committee on Dec. 5th, 2013

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Could you tell us a little about what drew you into policing, why you chose that as a career path? I think it's a calling.

[Supt Susanne Decock]

I'm from the Alderville First Nation. It's a lovely little community along the shores of Rice Lake, Ontario, just about an hour east of Toronto. Yes, in my case I would say it was a calling. I'm not sure if everyone would feel the same way.

My father is a retired member of the Ontario Provincial Police. He's been retired for 20 years, and he was one of our first first nation officers in the OPP to work for his 30 years. It certainly had a big impact on me growing up. We moved a few times throughout the province, but he spoke an awful lot about his years growing up on the reserve, and lots about family, lots about lessons, and history also.

For sure I would say it was a calling, yes. As a matter of fact, my sister felt the same way, and she's also an officer with the OPP.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Well, thank you for your service. I have been a volunteer with the York Regional Police for the last 13 years and have met a tremendous number of officers for whom I believe it's a calling to provide the service that officers do.

You talked a little bit about the training that has been given within the OPP. Could you tell us how many of the officers have been given the training to work on reserves or in our aboriginal communities? Is it by choice that people take that training, or is it part of the training that is generally given in the OPP?

[Supt Susanne Decock]

Thank you. It's a great question.

I'll start by saying that a great amount of our training is mandatory. After the Ipperwash inquiry we took a really hard look at our training. The creation of the bureau happened after that, and we nailed down some concrete steps to help us move forward. I can say that the week-long course, in particular, is mandatory for our speciality units. Again, it goes back to the organizational commitment. For example, that would include be our tactical team, our search and rescue teams, our trainers, our intelligence officers. As well there's a focus on any detachment that has a first nation population within it or nearby. So that has been mandatory.

As well, the time we have with the recruits has been invaluable. We see them when they first arrive at the police academy. We also see them at the Ontario Police College, which means we're seeing every recruit in Ontario in that case. And then when our OPP recruits come back to the academy, we have them again for a time.

This training encompasses some history in first nation policing in Ontario, culture, and current issues, because while it's very important that we talk about the culture and the history piece—residential schools, of course—the officers will want to talk about what they see in the news, and about the current issues. So we have a piece on that.

We're constantly evaluating the training. We work closely with the provincial police academy to nail down our teaching points and objectives. We also consult constantly with our first nation officers and communities to keep offering the best product we can.

I talked about the lunch-and-learn series. It's really a bit of a capacity issue for us, because the demands are great. It's unfortunate that I don't have the numbers handy, but I know that even in that week-long off-site native awareness course that I talked about, we're putting through about 500 officers a year. We also open it up to first nation police services, municipal guests, other ministry partners, and local community agencies. If they would like to come and we're able to accommodate, we're happy to do that, especially any of our first nation leaders we work with. Because going back to that evaluation piece, of course, we welcome their input and feedback.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

What is the response of the aboriginal communities when the OPP are called if there is an incident? Maybe you could work into that a response to whether there is an increase or decrease in the number of incidents to which the OPP is called.

You are working, as you said, with the aboriginal policing units as well. We had them here last week. Could you talk a little bit about that piece?

[Supt Susanne Decock]

The relationship differs, of course, everywhere. I would like to say that for the most part we've really made some strong, positive steps over the years. A lot of it, I believe, goes back to the investment we made in getting to know our communities, and investing in our community youth as well. But the relationship is varied.

I would like to say that for the most part it is positive. We work very closely with our first nation policing partners. You heard me talk about the provincial liaison team program, which is a fairly new program. It's all about giving our officers the tools required, the communication skills and alternative dispute resolution skills. We talk a lot about diversity and the diversity within first nations communities, of course, right? Sometimes we forget about that, that every community is so very different.

A lot of what makes it easier for us is the local detachment commander, the on-the-ground, front-line folks. The relationship they've built over the years with the local community will make it a lot easier in times of crisis.

[The Chair, Conservative, Stella Ambler]

Thank you very much.

We'll go over to you, Ms. Ashton, for five minutes.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Thank you very much.

If there is time, based on the answers, my colleague Ms. Mathyssen will also ask a question.

I want to go to the issue of women's shelters, Ms. Brazeau and Dr. Olsen Harper. I would like to hear from you on this.

We know, actually based on a 2012 study, that the rate of spousal violence against aboriginal women is at least two times greater than that in the general population. We're talking about serious numbers. We're talking about women who need help.

I'm wondering if you have any figures or any information on the current situation with respect to funding of women's shelters on reserve, and if you have any information on the demand for shelters or safe houses to be created on first nations across Canada. Fundamentally, do indigenous women across Canada, those who live on reserve, have access to services the way they need them?

[Dr. Anita Olsen Harper]

As far as the rate of domestic violence in aboriginal communities is concerned, those figures are very hard to find. You said they were two times the rate of other Canadian communities, but I think that's a very conservative figure. In Nunavut, for example, isn't it nine times more? It's just appalling how high those figures are.

There are only 44 or 45 on-reserve women's shelters, and there are 633 first nations in Canada. I really would like to say that the need for shelters is going down, but unfortunately because of some of these things we spoke about earlier, such as historical causes, the culture of male domination and economic dependency—which is the number one reason women stay in abusive relationships—I really don't see that it's getting any better. But this doesn't mean we shouldn't keep increasing our help toward women and children. These are the generations that are coming up.

I really believe in an educational approach. The people who work in shelters are perfectly positioned to be providing that type of education. The only thing is that they're seriously underfunded. In some places they are funded half of what mainstream or provincially funded women's shelters are. That's a serious problem.

Have I answered that, Niki?

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Yes. Thank you.

[Dr. Anita Olsen Harper]

Meegwetch. Thank you.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

My question is in regard to our report. We're going to be writing a report.

What is the most important recommendation we can bring forward to the Government of Canada?

[Dr. Anita Olsen Harper]

I would like to say that it is having a national strategy or a national action plan to prevent violence against aboriginal women and girls.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you.

Are there other thoughts about the recommendations we should be putting forward in terms of our report? Would enhanced funding also be important?

[Dr. Anita Olsen Harper]

Definitely.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Are there any other thoughts?

Superintendent.

[Supt Susanne Decock]

Thank you.

I would like to add that if a national action plan were the direction, the OPP would support it. I believe we would see those partnerships and that collaboration come together, something like that. Quite often, there are many well-meaning agencies and partners at the table or in the same community and doing the same work. A plan like that might assist with that collaboration.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

You mean to create some coordination so there is something more effective than what there might otherwise be?

[Supt Susanne Decock]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Stella Ambler]

Thank you very much.

For our last five minutes we'll go to Mr. Dechert.

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, witnesses, for sharing your expertise with us this evening.

Superintendent Decock, I want to let you know I'm familiar with the Alderville First Nation. My family had a cottage on Rice Lake for many years and I spent many happy times there in the community, shopping in the general store there and using the other services in the community. I was always very impressed by the cenotaph there to soldiers who served in the First and Second World Wars from that community. It's a real tribute to that community.

I wonder if you are aware of the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. It was established by the RCMP. Does the OPP liaise with that organization?

[Supt Susanne Decock]

Yes, we do. We have a missing persons section and an unidentified body section in our investigations command, and they work very closely with them.

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

I understand they have created a manual on best practices for investigating missing persons cases and they share that with police forces across Canada?

[Supt Susanne Decock]

You mean the RCMP?

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Yes, the RCMP, the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.