A timeline shows who was killed when in recent police interactions across the country.
The minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations is dismissing the call for a national inquiry into the recent deaths by police of nine First Nations people.
“I think there’s definitely a need to have every one of these deaths investigated and answers found,” said Gary Anandasangaree. “We’ve had a number of public inquiries as you’re aware, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, we have the calls for justice for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
“I think there are a number of things that need to happen in terms of law enforcement and in terms of policing, and I think those are things that we need to move expeditiously on not just at the federal level, but also different levels.”
First Nations NDP MP Blake Desjarlais called for an inquiry in the wake of the deaths of the nine people within a one-month span.
“I think we need a national inquiry into police conduct,” Desjarlais told APTN News. “Whether it’s municipal police forces or provincial police forces or national police force. We’re seeing this taking place in a way of a pattern, there’s a real pattern, we can identify, we can see it.”
Anandasangaree said he’s not supportive of a national inquiry because enough studies have been done already. He said he’s deeply troubled by what has happened across the country and acknowledged answers are needed.
“Law enforcement has a critical role to play to ensure the safety and security of everyone, particularly Indigenous people. I have called upon the respective institutions to undertake a review that is independent that ensures that there’s truth, there’s justice for everyone.”
Please see my statement on the recent deaths of Indigenous Peoples at the hands of police: pic.twitter.com/okMKZyoQUQ
— Gary Anandasangaree (@gary_srp) September 19, 2024
The alarming trend began on Aug. 29, when Jack Piche, 31, was struck by an RCMP vehicle near his home reserve of Clearwater Dene Nation in northwestern Saskatchewan. Then, on Aug. 30, Hoss Lightning Saddleback, 15, was shot and killed by officers in Wetaskiwin, Alta.
On Aug. 31, a Winnipeg police cruiser struck and killed Tammy Bateman, 34, in a riverside park. Jason West, 57, was shot and killed by Windsor police on Sept. 6.
Two men were killed on Sept. 8: Daniel Knife, 31, died after being shot by RCMP in Ahtahkakoop First Nation in Saskatchewan and Steven Dedam, 34, died in Elsipogtog, New Brunswick.
The number grew with the death of Ronald Skunk, 59, from Mishkeegogamang, who died in hospital Sept. 14 after going into medical distress following his arrest in Pickle Lake by Ontario Provincial Police.
Jon Wells, 42, died after being tasered and punched by Calgary Police Service (CPS) officers on Sept. 17. The Kainai First Nation member was also given a sedative by EMS during the fatal incident.
The most recent death is that of Joseph Desjarlais, 34, of Fishing Lake Cree Nation in Alberta. He was shot by police at the end of a vehicle chase on Sept. 25.
Investigations ongoing
During Monday’s National Truth and Reconciliation Day events in Calgary, hundreds of people marched in remembrance of Wells. His sister Leslie Wells spoke to CTV News about her brother.
“He was a mentor in our community,” she said. “It’s almost like we take a hundred steps back in time. When are we ever going to get justice for our people?”
The investigation into Wells’ and the other eight deaths is being handled by various police watchdog organizations.
Mike Ewenson, executive director of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, provided a statement to APTN News on the status of the Wells and Lightning Saddleback investigations.
“We are still in the fact-finding stages of the investigations,” he said “While we will certainly keep the families up to date about our process we won’t have any further public statements on the matters until the investigations are complete.”
ASIRT released a preliminary report on the incident involving Wells based on police body-worn camera footage recorded during the incident. The report noted there were discrepancies and a number of facts omitted from the original CPS news release about the incident, including a sedative being given to Wells by EMS on scene.
“These significant discrepancies make public transparency a paramount consideration in the continued investigation of this event,” said ASIRT in the release.
The Blood Tribe said in a statement it’s planning to file a formal complaint against three officers in connection with Wells’ death.
In an interview with the Governor General that will air on APTN’s Face to Face program in October, Inuk Mary Simon said while she isn’t privy to the investigations, she hopes they are thorough.
“I am very sorry that this type of thing happened to these individuals and to the families,” she said. “My heart goes out to them.
“But whatever happens, within the Indigenous community, this has to be looked at very carefully. Why it happened and how it happened.
“I’m not involved in the levels of investigation, but to me, one death is too many,” Simon added.
Editor’s Note: The original story quoted the minister saying a national inquiry isn’t necessary. This wasn’t the case and the story has been corrected.
