Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  When you have money set aside for first nations policing, and you look at all the policing services across Canada, we have to compete with the respective indigenous services for this money. When you look at the province of Ontario and here in northwestern Ontario, you have the Lac Seul Police Service.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  When you look at our police service and you look at the Nishnawbe Aski Nation territory in our northwest area, we have the Ojibway culture. In our more centralized area north of Thunder Bay and in between James Bay, we have the Oji-Cree culture. Then you have the Muskego Cree on the east coast of James Bay.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. We have ongoing discussions with the IPCO entity. We have ongoing discussions with both levels of government, and we're able to bring forward items of concern and things that we feel are necessary to address. As an example, right now, with the modernization of policing here in the province of Ontario, Six Nations Police Service and Akwesasne are using a reporting system that I guess is called the Interpol system.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Exactly. Their budgets are set. Here in the province of Ontario, the provincial government has been very, very co-operative in terms of making sure that we have access to the financial resources to make these changes. The discussions with Ontario have been very positive. I would love to say that—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. When you look at the death of Ricardo Wesley and Jamie Goodwin in Kashechewan in 2006, if we didn't have that happen, if we didn't have that tragedy, what improvements would have occurred in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation for policing?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, absolutely. There are adequacy standards under the legislation, within the province of Ontario, so if we don't meet the standards, there is an avenue for us to make an application to receive funding to bring us up to the standard. That is why, when you look at the legislation here in Ontario, which we've been told is going to be ready in January 2022, we are going to be making a submission to opt in under the legislation, so we can get the resources to have a proper police service that delivers all the service requirements for the Nishnawbe Aski Nation people, because they deserve it.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That is correct. We rely heavily on the OPP to supplement our service gap deliveries. They come in for major crimes, obviously for homicide investigations. They have the capacity to do so. When we look at providing emergency response and access to specialized units, such as their tactical and emergency response unit, helicopters, identification units and forensics, these are programs or services that we have to access from our policing partners.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Fortunately, we have been creative in how we recruit. We have gone into other parts of Canada. Actually, we've been to Manitoba to do a lot of recruiting. Prior to COVID our human resources department always travelled to these colleges and universities to attract people. They have remembered the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service because we are a large service.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you very much for the question. To give some context, my kokoom and mooshum, I would call them, my grandmother and grandfather, are originally from northern Quebec, the Cree nation, the Eeyou Eenou, so I'm very familiar with what's happening up there. Certainly what's happening in those communities with respect to incarceration is occurring in our communities as well.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  With the federal government's announcement to make first nations policing an essential service, all the chiefs of police welcome this, but, to be honest, I'm not holding my breath for it. I'm not. It's going to take some time to get this legislation in place. With the consultation that has to occur, it's going to take time to update this program.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It's good to see members from northwestern Ontario here. I think we also see Dr. Powlowski. It's good to see you as well. Eric, when we look at the first nations policing program, it is so restrictive in what policing can do. We have service gap deliveries. You heard me mention victim support.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Good evening, committee members. My name is Roland Morrison. I'm the chief of police for Nishnawbe Aski Police Service. Nishnawbe Aski Police Service is the largest indigenous police service here in Canada. We have over 220 officers, and with civilian staff, we have nearly 300 employees.