SYDNEY, N.S. — Canada’s public safety minister says supplanting Eskasoni’s current RCMP setup with a more Indigenous-focused policing system in the community could be a possibility down the line.
“We are going to work very closely … beginning at the community support level with the (ministry’s) First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, designed to enhance the capacity of First Nations communities to create public safety initiatives for themselves,” said Marco Mendicino during his brief visit to Cape Breton.
“It was important that I hear from them in person a number of concerns they expressed around the relationship that they have with the RCMP.”
Mendicino said in his conversations with the community, he’s heard that the Eskasoni RCMP wanted to recruit more Mi’kmaw members to the force, but equally “that we provide enhanced culturally sensitive training to all Mounties who work in Eskasoni and other First Nations communities if they can speak Mi’kmaw. Because that helps to de-escalate the potential for conflict,” he added.
REFORMING RCMP AMONG INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Community-oriented public safety and policing, Mendicino said, aims to advance the spirit of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples through renewed relationships based on respect, co-operation and partnerships. Much of this stems from pressured calls for the federal government to reform the RCMP among Indigenous communities, largely in the aftermath of last September’s shootings and mass casualties in Saskatchewan’s James Smith Cree Nation.
Mendicino said First Nations-led policing is already being explored in two Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan.
“We talked a lot about that (in Eskasoni) … and about getting them additional support under our First Nations and Inuit Policing Program,” he said. “I am going to work very closely with the community, my department, and the Nova Scotia government — and looking forward to conversations with my provincial counterpart and the RCMP to deliver that.”
Mendicino, at this stage, didn’t have a financial commitment in mind for such a transition, as these were just conversations taking place and no agreements or letters of intent were signed, he said. However, he added that he and the federal Liberals would like to see legislation consider Indigenous policing in First Nations communities as an essential service, given the tragedy in James Smith Cree Nation — and also tying that in with the mass casualties from 2020’s shooting spree in Portapique.
The Cape Breton Post attempted to reach Eskasoni Chief Leroy Denny several times for comment on Mendicino’s visit with him and the discussions with Eskasoni RCMP members, but no calls were returned as a press deadlines approached.
BUILDING SAFER COMMUNITIES
While in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Mendicino also stopped in to visit Mayor Amanda McDougall to talk about building safer communities and other ways to step up crime prevention — which included how his proposed firearms legislation, Bill C-21, would work in preventing those further gun crimes.
“We talked about the need to ensure that we’re keeping our communities safe from gun violence,” he said. “In that regard, we talked about getting Bill C-21 right, and investments we’re making to strengthen our borders and stop illegal gun trafficking”
Bill C-21, which the federal Liberals are tabling as their proposed firearms legislation, is still a work in progress, Mendicino said. Recently, amendments to the bill which would have included prohibiting the use of a number of rifles and shotguns had to be dropped due to widespread criticism from the likes of farmers, hunters, Indigenous people and sport shooters.
HOW TO HELP SUPPORT GROWTH, POLICING IN CBRM
But it was the building safer communities aspect that caught McDougall’s attention.
“We talked a lot about his role in public safety and what does that mean in terms of what we’re seeing here in the CBRM, and what his role could potentially help support our community,” she said.
“When communities grow, and we are growing, there are more opportunities for increased crime. When your expanding on your port development, for example, when you have more people travelling here, you really have to be conscious of what comes with that.
“Our police force is dealing with more homicides and violence than they have ever seen before. So I asked what is out there for Public Safety Canada to help us keep our communities safe.”
At press time, the Cape Breton Regional Police were in the process of providing the Post a data breakdown of recent firearms-related incidents, mainly pertaining to weapons, assault, robberies and more.
SEEKING FUNDING PROGRAMS
McDougall also inquired whether the federal ministry offered available funding programs, social workers or “broad-based supports” to help police keep the CBRM safe.
“More people are looking to come here,” she said. “So we need to look at better police support — and, even before we do that, we had to address what are the needs of the community.”
- Ian Nathanson is a multimedia journalist with the Cape Breton Post. Follow him on Twitter @CBPost_Ian.
