Canada and Ontario’s failure to negotiate policing agreement causes NAPS workers to vote to strike

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler and Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS) Board Chair Mike Metatawabin expressed disappointment and frustration with the governments of Canada and Ontario for failing to negotiate a new policing agreement that meets the needs of officers and ensures the safety of communities before NAPS officers voted overwhelming in favour of a strike.

“It was going to happen. It’s not a surprise. Understandably it’s a labour standards issue. For far too long our constables have had to work under conditions that are below the standards that the rest of Ontario enjoys. That’s the main thing for the strike,” Metatawabin said.

There is approximately a three-week process now that the NAPS employees have voted in favour of a strike before they will be in a legal position to actually do so.

“Ideally our preference is to stop the strike before it happens,” Metatawabin explained. “We want to re-assure our communities that their safety is our top priority and commitment.”

Metatawabin said that from the governance point of view they will do everything they can to bring the funders to the table.

“It is extremely disappointing that Canada and Ontario have continually failed to come to the table and address the long-standing funding issues for NAPS while, at the same time, we have been making progress on a legislative framework for First Nations policing,” said NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, who serves as ex-officio on the NAPS Board. “First Nations served by NAPS deserve the same levels of policing as any community across the country. Canada and Ontario must come to the table immediately to address the adequacy of funding and resources for our detachments and our officers. The safety of our communities, officers and the administration of justice in our communities is at stake.”

The province has an estimated 80-million dollar contingency plan, yet only funds NAPS around 27-million per year.

“It highlights the double-standard,” Metatawabin said. “NAPS operates on 27-million a year, but the province has 80-million to provide that same coverage. There’s no issue if we operated with the 80-million.”

NAN has warned for years that the current design of First Nations policing is building on failure. On February 19, 2013, NAN issued a Public Safety Notice to the Chief Coroner for Ontario and the federal government declaring that the lives of those policed by NAPS are in “grave danger” and stressed the need for a regulatory framework for NAPS. To date, the federal and provincial governments have ignored this Public Safety Notice.

“NAPS has struggled since its inception for adequate funding to pay our officers who serve our communities with pride and distinction. It is unacceptable that our police service has been continually neglected by our federal and provincial funding partners to the point where the health and safety of our officers and the communities they serve could be placed in jeopardy,” said NAPS Board Chair Mike Metatawabin. “This problem was long in the making, and it is unacceptable that we are left to negotiate with our officers without the proper people at the table or adequate funding from our federal and provincial partners who have the responsibility to ensure the safety of our officers and the communities they police.”

In 2014 the Auditor General of Canada confirmed that the federal approach to First Nation policing is flawed, and that the instability is exacerbated by its failure to legislate a regulatory framework. NAN is currently negotiating for a new Tripartite Policing Agreement for NAPS with the federal and provincial governments.

The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service is the largest First Nations police service in Canada and the second largest First Nations police service in North America, employing more than 130 uniform officers and 30 civilians. Based in Thunder Bay, NAPS polices 35 communities across NAN territory, which encompasses nearly two-thirds of the Province of Ontario.