MP weighs in on MLTC’s calls to end violence in northern Saskatchewan

The MP for the Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River federal riding in Saskatchewan, Buckley Belanger, is addressing increasing calls for change from First Nations over what Indigenous leaders say is a lack of policing in rural communities.

Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) recently made a call for immediate assistance in policing its communities. MLTC is the latest of many northern communities to demand help with ending increasing violence from drug abuse, gang activity and poverty.

“The lack of police presence is directly contributing to serious injuries and deaths in our community,” said MLTC Tribal Chief Jeremy Norman.

Belanger says the conversation on how to create that change is ongoing.

“Don’t forget we are all partners in this so it’s important to have a respectful dialogue in this with all the partners, and that’s exactly what we’re doing now, but we do know we got to make our community safe and more secure and that is a pressing matter for us,” Belanger said.

The MLTC recently made its own demands for help with ending the increasing violence in its communities. It is calling for its own First Nations-led police force but is also open to any support that can be made available quickly.

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“I’m fully aware of the issues as it pertains to staffing. And I can tell you that the officers that we have in the North are doing a remarkable job. But it’s always tough to attract professional people sometimes to work in Northern Saskatchewan for a variety of reasons. And it goes not only just to the police officers, it could be educators, it could be other professional people,” says Belanger.

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Many nations are saying it’s taking longer and longer for police to respond. Some have begun resorting to policing themselves.

“I myself get threatening texts as a chief because we’re doing evictions. We’re evicting people out of houses that are druggies, that are gang members. We’re boarding them up and giving them to families that need them,” said Canoe Lake Cree First Nation Chief Francis Iron.

Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer Robin McNeil defended his force amid some of that criticism, saying there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the rise in social issues and violent crime.

He points out that calls for service have risen 45 per cent over 10 years, referring to growing social issues having a significant impact.

Belanger says everyone at the table agrees that fixing policing alone won’t solve the province’s growing rates of violence but it is a priority.