National Indigenious Peoples Day

Dear community members,

Today marks a very important and special day across our Country – National Indigenous Peoples Day.  Today is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the history, heritage, and the great contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people while reconciling our past, addressing present challenges and building a better future for all.

Each and every day I remain proud of our Service’s commitment to improving and building partnerships surrounding equity, inclusion, and diversity within our community. Members of our Service take part in many events, as well as training and educational opportunities that help us foster positive and meaningful connections with our Indigenous community.

Members of our Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Unit and Ambassador Team participate in numerous events each year and spend hundreds of hours volunteering, including taking part in an Indigenous Pow Wow and “Reconciliation Leading the Way” canoe trip with our Indigenous community members. They also bring ongoing attention to the troubling legacy of the residential school system in Canada through the Orange Shirt Campaign. Our Service has also delivered implicit bias awareness training to our senior and mid-leaders and are currently working on an educational program that will be delivered to our front-line members to ensure they have all the tools required to connect in a positive and meaningful way with our Indigenous community members.

Our commitment to community is highlighted in our 2018-2020 Operations Plan. As your Chief of Police, I am committed to implementing “the calls to action specific to police systems from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission” by ensuring that: 

• A working group is established to identify and implement police specific Truth and Reconciliation recommendations;
• All members are provided education on the history of Indigenous people;
• Our Service works with Indigenous stakeholders to develop victim advocacy initiatives; and
• Appropriate evaluation mechanisms are implemented.

While we continue to make great progress, this day is also a time to reflect and to realize that there is more work to be done as we strive to not only become a stronger, more diverse community, but a stronger and more diverse Police Service.

So, as we celebrate this important day - National Indigenous Peoples Day – it is vital that we all recognize the fact that it is our differences that make us stronger, that bring us together, and that make us better.

Meegwetch!

Sincerely,

Bryan M. Larkin

Chief of Police