First Nations leaders demand national inquiry into 'epidemic' of deaths by police

Edith Wells got the call on Sept. 17, 2024 at 9:34. 

It was a call she'll never forget, a call no parent ever wants to receive — the one informing her that her son, 42-year-old Jon Wells, was never coming home.

"It's only been two months since the passing of my son," Wells told a news conference held Wednesday by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN).

"And justice needs to be done."

Wells is one of two mothers who joined First Nations leaders in Ottawa this week to demand a national inquiry into systemic racism in policing to address what they're calling an "inter-related epidemic" of violence and death.

An emergency resolution calling for the inquiry was high on the agenda Tuesday as AFN chiefs and proxies met on day one of the national advocacy organization's annual winter meeting.

The resolution cited the recent deaths of 10 First Nations people following interactions with police from August to November 2024. 

Jon Wells, a member of the Blood Tribe in Alberta, died following an interaction with municipal police in Calgary.

"He was a loving person," his mother told the news conference.

"He was a kind, gentle, compassionate person. He had a lot of goals for himself. His life was taken too short."

The deaths are under investigation by oversight bodies in multiple jurisdictions, but the resolution says these reviews "are being conducted in isolation of each other, which is not drawing conclusions as one inter-related epidemic."

"We cannot accept the fact that police would investigate police," said Ghislain Picard, the assembly's regional chief for Quebec-Labrador.

"That's just a no-go."

Martha Martin's daughter Chantel Moore was shot and killed by a municipal police officer during a wellness check in Edmundston, N.B., in 2020. Martin's son died in police custody five months later.

"This fight for justice has been a long four years," she told the news conference, adding her voice to the call for action.

"We stand here to say we've had enough. It is time for change now. No more recommendations. It's time for action."

The assembly is urging Canada to convene an inquiry mandated to investigate police-related deaths and other serious incidents, with the objective of ending discrimination and racism in policing.

The AFN resolution says 25 First Nations people died after interactions with police between 2017 and 2020. 

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has made policing and public safety a priority since her election last year. With a federal election slated for 2025, she is looking for cross-party support.

"Absolutely, all parties should support the national inquiry, and I call upon each and every one of them [to support it]," Woodhouse Nepinak said. 

A recent decision from the Supreme Court of Canada, which chastised Canada and Quebec for underfunding a First Nation's police service in the province, is only adding fuel to the push for better services in communities. 

First Nations police forces in Ontario have also taken to the courts to fight for equal funding, a fight that could get a boost from the high court's ruling.

The federal government's underfunding of these services resulted in communities declaring states of emergency, said Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige, who called it another form of systemic racism.

The 10 people who died in recent months are Jack Piché, 31; Hoss Lightning Saddleback, 15; Tammy Bateman, 39, Jason West, 57; Daniel Knife, 31; Steven Dedam, 34; Ronald Skunk, 59; Jon Wells, 42; Joseph Desjarlais, 34; and Elgyn Muskego, 17, according to the AFN resolution.

Assembly stays course on child welfare

The meeting stretched into the evening Wednesday, pivoting to a crucial debate around the future of the child welfare system. 

The delegates previously rejected a 10-year, $47.8-billion proposed deal to reform the First Nations child and family services program during a special meeting in October, calling instead for renegotiation.

The deal, which could end a long-standing human rights complaint from 2007, had the national chief's support and formal endorsement from Ontario chiefs, some of whom remained disappointed.

"I really supported this because I need some financial resources and help," said Archie Wabasse, chief of Wunnumin Lake First Nation, a fly-in community in northwestern Ontario.

"If I had those resources, I would be able to provide prevention services to children in need and the families that need help."

But the proposal failed to secure backing nationally in October, with leaders from elsewhere expressing concerns.

"There has to be an accountability process," said Mary Teegee, executive director of Child and Family Services at Carrier Sekani Family Services, who spoke against the deal in October.

She said on Wednesday, "This is the most important decision that chiefs will probably have to make in their life because we have to ensure discrimination ends and never happens again."

The delegates had competing resolutions before them again in Ottawa, but the assembly swiftly voted to continue with the renegotiation, passing a resolution urging Canada and the AFN to abide by the October rejection.

A competing resolution seeking to confirm the money from the agreement remains committed was then withdrawn.

Woodhouse-Nepinak has urged Canada to return to the table with a new mandate but it's unclear when and if that could happen.