Tag Archives: Brenda Lucki

Indigenous Nations, Justice

Advocates question RCMP’s role in recent deaths of Indigenous peoples

By Philip McLachlan,  The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Content warning: This story mentions self-harm and police response to a distress call, as well as content about police violence against Indigenous people. Please read with care.

Advocates are demanding a public inquiry following the death of a Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) man who died after RCMP were called to his home — the latest plea for systemic reform to a police force which one chief says has an “inherent bloodlust against people of colour.”

Rojun Alphonse’s family called officers to his apartment early in the morning on July 10 because they were concerned that he was going to harm himself — but instead of calming the man in distress, the RCMP showed up to “terrorize” Alphonse with tear gas, automatic weapons, body armour and armed vehicles, said WLFN Chief Willie Sellars.

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Energy, Indigenous Nations, Justice

Letters reveal what energy companies told RCMP before Wet’suwet’en raid

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

In late April, RCMP officers walked into the Gidimt’en Camp near the confluence of Ts’elkay Kwe (Lamprey Creek) and Wedzin Kwa (Morice River). Their visits on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory in northwest B.C. had been a daily occurrence, with members of the RCMP’s Community-Industry Response Group showing up at all hours, including in the middle of the night according to locals.

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Communications, Indigenous Nations, Justice

Emails reveal how the RCMP changed its story about arresting journalists in Wet’suwet’en raid

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Updated May 9, 2022, at 11:10 a.m. PT: This article was updated to clarify that filmmaker Michael Toledano was restrained with handcuffs after being detained by RCMP on Nov. 19, 2021. He was not initially restrained with zip ties. But he told The Narwhal that police added zip ties to reinforce the restraints after a key broke off in the handcuffs.

As police helicopters moved into unceded Wet’suwet’en territory and dropped off armed tactical officers accompanied by police dogs on Nov. 19, 2021, photojournalist Amber Bracken was reporting live updates.

She was inside a tiny house occupied by Indigenous land defenders and their allies.

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Justice

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip: Why the RCMP must be accountable

It has been a week since the Federal Court of Canada condemned RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki for her failure to respond to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC). The case revolved around an interim report from 2017, but in her Judgement and Reasons Associate Chief Justice Jocelyne Gagné pointed to numerous other cases where the RCMP had acted in the same manner. 

“It is in the public interest to have a police oversight institution that functions properly and is unobstructed.” she wrote.

One of the organizations applauding the Court’s Decision to hold the police accountable is the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

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Indigenous Nations, Justice

Northwest B.C. MLA calls on RCMP commissioner to review pipeline opponents’ arrests in Hazelton

Terrace Standard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Stikine MLA Nathan Cullen has called on RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki to review police action in the arrest of two of his constituency members in northwest B.C. in November.

In the letter sent to the RCMP top cop in Ottawa, Cullen asked about the RCMP’s “enforcement behaviour” while referring to a “disturbing” video in which two young men were arrested with “undue force” last month near the New Hazelton rail tracks.

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