Utoo Radio with Other News Sources - December 4, 2024 - Edith Wells, a mother of a 42-year-old First Nations boy, has joined First Nations leaders in Ottawa to demand a national inquiry into systemic racism in policing.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has called for an inquiry to investigate police-related deaths and other serious incidents, with the objective of ending discrimination and racism in policing.

The resolution cites the recent deaths of 10 First Nations people following interactions with police from August to November 2024, a span of six months.

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, not drawing conclusions as one inter-related epidemic.

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 and is looking for cross-party support.

A recent Supreme Court of Canada decision chastising Canada and Quebec for underfunding a First Nation's police service in the province is 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.