Members of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation, in Lac-Saint-Jean, have been victims of discrimination by Public Security Canada regarding the funding of their police service, confirms the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) ).
Posted at 4:27 p.m.
This decision handed down at the beginning of the week is welcomed by Indigenous representatives as a “decisive and major” victory for all First Nations police services in the country.
Chief Gilbert Dominique had filed a complaint in court in 2016 on behalf of his Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation to denounce the underfunding that affects the public safety of Mashteuiatsh and other Indigenous communities under the federal First Nations policing program. (PSPPN).
The CHRT found that Mr. Dominique’s complaint was well-founded and that there was “unfavorable treatment” as well as discrimination in the provision of a service under the law “on the basis of his race and national or ethnic origin”.
“Systemic discrimination is present and confirmed by the Human Rights Tribunal. Governments must act and implement real actions to eradicate this discrimination,” commented Chief Dominique at a press conference on Thursday.
In a next step, the CHRT will establish the reparations that Ottawa will have to pay. Chief Dominique hopes that these repairs will result in a change in the method of funding to ensure the sustainability of Indigenous public safety services.
Chief Dominique said his community’s police service ran into deficits and “nearly closed” in 2016 due to underfunding.
The federal government has 30 days to decide whether to appeal the judgment.
This article was produced with the financial support of the Facebook and The Canadian Press News Fellowships.