Engaging Indigenous Peoples on Policing and Community Safety

Indigenous Peoples have long called for reform to Indigenous policing and community safety to make it more responsive and equitable. The Government of Canada is committed to collaborative dialogues with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to hear their perspectives, experiences, and expertise, and to better understand and identify their unique policing and community safety priorities, as well as the practices and approaches that would best serve them.

On this page

Co-Development of First Nations Police Services Legislation

First Nations in Canada have long called for reform to how First Nations police services are funded and have advocated for federal legislation that recognizes First Nations policing as an essential service. These calls for reform were heightened with the release of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which included Call for Justice 5.4 to reform the delivery of policing services in Indigenous communities.

Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada proposed to provide $43.7 million over five years, beginning in 2021-2022, to co-develop a legislative framework for First Nations policing that recognizes First Nations policing as an essential service. The Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People reiterated the commitment to co-develop a legislative framework. In the December 2021 Mandate Letters, the Minister of Public Safety was mandated to "continue to work with First Nations partners to co-develop a legislative framework for First Nations policing..." with the support of the Minister of Indigenous Services and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

We are engaging directly with First Nations to inform the co-development of federal legislation for First Nations police services.

How to get involved

We want to make it as easy as possible for people to provide their input, so the Government of Canada's engagement process includes three ways to participate.

Events:

Other:

What we've heard before

We recognize that this isn't the first time we've had conversations about First Nations policing. Here are some of the things we've learned so far, and that will help us as we move forward. 

Updates on Co-Development

Policing and Community Safety Needs of Inuit

The Government of Canada is committed to ongoing collaborative dialogue with Inuit to identify and better understand their unique policing and community safety needs and to help inform improved policing and community safety through best practices and approaches. Public Safety Canada, supported by Indigenous Services Canada, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, will engage with Inuit partners, including Inuit groups and organizations and Inuit Land Claims Organizations, as well as provinces and territories and other stakeholders with a vested interest in this work.

We will be undertaking engagement with Inuit on policing and community safety in 2022-23.

Target audience

The Government of Canada will engage with:

Objectives

To make real progress on improving policing and community safety for Inuit, the Government of Canada is committed to:

We want to hear your views on different aspects of Inuit policing and community safety and how we can best move forward.

What we've heard before

We recognize that this isn't the first time we've had conversations about Inuit policing and community safety. Here are some of the things we've learned so far, and that will help us as we move forward. 

Policing and Community Safety Needs of Métis

The Government of Canada is committed to ongoing collaborative dialogue with Métis to better identify and understand their unique policing and community safety needs and help inform improved policing and community safety through best practices and approaches. Public Safety Canada, supported by Indigenous Services Canada, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, will engage with Métis partners, including Métis national and regional representative groups and organizations and self-government agreement holders, as well as provinces and territories and other stakeholders with a vested interest in this work.

We will be undertaking engagement with Métis on policing and community safety in 2022-23.

Target audience

The Government of Canada will engage with:

Objectives

To make real progress on improving policing and community safety for Métis, the Government of Canada is committed to:

We want to hear your views on different aspects of Métis policing and community safety and how we can best move forward.

The input we receive during this engagement will form part of a “What we heard” report, which will be publicly available in the future.

What we've heard before

We recognize that this isn't the first time we've had conversations about Indigenous policing and community safety. Here are some of the things we've learned so far, and that will help us as we move forward. 

Related Information/Programs

We recognize that providing culturally responsive policing is only one part of a much broader approach to supporting safe and secure Indigenous communities. The Government of Canada funds a number of different programs for Indigenous policing and community safety, each with their own unique contributions.

Policing:

Corrections:

Crime Prevention:

Community Safety:

Contact Information

By email: IndigenousPolicing-PoliceAutochtones@ps-sp.gc.ca

By mail:
Indigenous Secretariat
Public Safety Canada
269 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1A 0P8

Date modified: