More than $18.6 million to enhance police service delivery for Indigenous populations

QUÉBEC CITY, Dec. 4, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The Québec government is preparing to implement an array of measures to enhance training and police practices with respect to Indigenous people and to combat the violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls. Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs Ian Lafrenière, Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Security and Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region Geneviève Guilbault, Minister for Education and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Isabelle Charest, and President of Quebec Association of First Nation and Inuit Police Directors Shawn Dulude were present at the announcement.

These measures constitute a response to National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (NIMMIWG) and Inquiry Commission on Relations Between Indigenous Peoples and Certain Public Services: Listening, Reconciliation and Progress (Viens Commission) recommendations. The implementation of these measures will provide Indigenous police forces with the necessary tools to ensure service delivery that is better adapted to First Nation and Inuit communities' realites. Safety in these communities will be enhanced and more trusting relationships between the Indigenous people and police authorities are expected.

The fight against the sexual exploitation of Indigenous girls and women
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Isabelle Charest has announced the implementation of a new measure in the fight against the sexual exploitation of Indigenous women and girls. It seeks to support prevention and intervention projects by and for Indigenous women and girls concerning sexual exploitation and other forms of sexual violence.

Initiatives developed "by and for" Indigenous women and girls will aim to respond to the specific challenges that they themselves are facing. Indeed, the communities' contribution and expertise are essential to success. The Secrétariat à la Condition féminine will oversee the coordination of this measure with the support of already established consultation and collaboration bodies, including the Comité femmes autochtones.

Police training and enhanced policing
The Ministère de la Sécurité publique (MSP) is putting forward several measures concerning police training. The MSP intends to act to strengthen Indigenous police forces:

• produce a status report on the Indigenous police forces by offering funds to the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association, whose expertise will be crucial;
• promote initial Indigenous police-patrol training to increase the number of Indigenous police officers trained and offer police services that are more culturally adapted to the population;
• broaden access to professional development training at the École nationale de police du Québec for a greater numbers of Indigenous police officers;
• offer adapted conjugal violence, sexual assault, and family violence training to Indigenous police forces to enhance support for women and those who experience violence. A significant portion of this measure falls under the responsibility of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions;
• hire liaison officers and train correctional services officers
  The MSP also wishes to enhance service delivery to Indigenous police forces through the integration of liaison officers at the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale (LSJML) and in the office of the Commissaire à la déontologie policière (CDP).
  
  At the LSJML, the liaison officer will support Indigenous police forces at different stages of handling cases, especially sexual assault cases. Victims will receive better support and be better informed at different stages and encouraged to pursue the judicial process. In this way, victims can develop a feeling of trust with respect to the police and the legal system.
  
  As for the CDP, the complaints procedure will be adapted at all stages to the Indigenous peoples' needs and experiences.
  
  Training around these needs and experiences will be designed and offered to correctional officers to broaden their understanding of Indigenous realities.

It also bears noting that since 2017, the Sûreté du Québec has implemented measures that already respond, fully or in part, to certain of the commissions' recommendations. Indigenous liaison services have been expanded with the addition of officers in urban areas.

Quotes :

"The measures announced today represent a significant, unprecedented effort to enhance the quality of policing First Nations and Inuit. I hope that this will allow the most vulnerable individuals, especially women and girls, to live with complete peace of mind, with the certainty that their safety is assured. By offering police officers the appropriate training, we are giving them the tools to act effectively and respectfully in their dealings with the Indigenous people. We are acting in a tangible way to follow up on the recommendations of the Viens Commission and to establish relationships of trust. I hope that our efforts will quickly bear fruit."

Ian Lafrenière, Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs

"The commissions of inquiry conducted in recent years have revealed significant shortcomings, especially with regards to safety in Indigenous communities. The announced measures demonstrate our desire to promote service delivery that satisfies specific and changing needs. We must make the necessary effort to foster safe living environments and this is what we are doing."

Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Security and Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region

"I am pleased to announce a new measure specifically for Indigenous women and girls who are victims of sexual exploitation. The measure will ensure financial support for prevention and intervention projects by and for Indigenous women and girls. What is more, I would like to thank everyone involved, including the Indigenous organizations, especially through the Comité des femmes autochtones, who are advising and supporting the Québec government in the implementation of these initiatives. Everyone's collaboration is essential in ensuring Indigenous women and girl may live in safety. All forms of violence must cease. Together, we can make a difference."

Isabelle Charest, Minister for Education and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

"I would like to thank the Québec government for this assistance, which will ensure continuity within Indigenous police services. These measures will facilitate access to the École nationale de police du Québec and foster advanced training for Indigenous police officers so they may better respond to their communities' needs. We are focusing on the future."

Shawn Dulude, President of Quebec Association of First Nation and Inuit Police Directors

Highlights :

Government support is broken down as follows:

• More than $3.8 million to broaden access to professional development training at the École nationale de police du Québec for greater numbers of Indigenous police officers;
• Nearly $3.7 million to facilitate access for Indigenous police force recruits to the initial Indigenous police-patrol training program;
• More than $4 million will be allocated to skill upgrading in the realm of conjugal and family violence, the sexual exploitation of minors, and surveys of police officers working in the Indigenous police forces;
• More than $4.1 million will be earmarked to produce an Indigenous police forces' status report (jointly with the MSP) and to financially support the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association to effectively contribute to the Indigenous police forces' development;
• $1 million will cover the hiring of an Indigenous liaison officer in the office of the Commissaire en déontologie and at the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale ;
• More than $800 000 will be allocated to elaborate and offer training to correctional services staff;
• Lastly, $1.2 million have been allocated to supporting prevention and intervention projects by and for Indigenous women and girls related to sexual exploitation and other forms of sexual violence.

Relevant links:

www.autochtones.gouv.qc.ca/ 

www.facebook.com/AutochtonesQc 

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre responsable des Affaires autochtones

Sources : Mathieu Durocher, Press Officer, Office of the Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs, Telephone: [phone]; Amélie Paquet, Press Officer, Office of the Deputy Premier, Minister of Public Security and Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region, 418-643-2112; Alice Bergeron, Press Officer, Minister for Education and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, 418-997-4093; Information: Antoine Tousignant, Public Affairs Team Leader, Ministère du Conseil exécutif and Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor, Telephone: [phone], Email: [email protected]