B.C. First Nations leaders demand public inquiry into police killings of Indigenous people

The First Nation’s Leadership Council wants the province to hold a public inquiry into police killings of Indigenous people, and the lack of prosecutions for officers involved.

This comes after the BC Prosecution Service declined to approve charges against officers involved in the killing of Wet’suwet’en man Jared Lowndes in Campbell River. Charges were also not laid against police involved in the death of Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan man Dale Culver, nor the RCMP officers who killed Everett Patrick of the Lake Babine Nation in 2020.

Lowndes’ mother, Laura Holland says it’s time for change.

“It is time we had a look at the archaic, racist policies, procedures & laws that are upheld by the BCPS and Law Enforcement that maim, injure and kill Indigenous people in B.C. and Canada. For too long, the BCPS has been permitted to hide behind these unjust policies, procedures, and laws to protect the police officers who commit crimes, inflicting pain and punishment on Indigenous people.”

Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Philip calls the decision a “gross, racist miscarriage of justice”.

“We demand a public inquiry into the suspicious deaths of Indigenous peoples by the very individuals who are supposed to be protecting us. Based on these factual experiences, we have very little faith in this so-called justice system.”

B.C.’s police watchdog highlights lack of prosecutions against police

Ron MacDonald, Civilian Director of the Independent Investigations Office says his office is preparing a report for the province that will recommend changes to the way cases of police violence are prosecuted.

“I’m not actually criticizing the specific decision being made by the crown in the Jared Lowndes case,” he said. “What I am doing is highlighting the statistics of how our cases from the IIO are being handled by the B.C. prosecution service. Those numbers are significant and are such that they raise questions in the mind of the public. Those types of questions could cause the public to lose faith in the system of accountability we have, and therefore I’m asking the minister’s office to look into the matter.”

MacDonald says over the last five years his office forwarded 39 cases of police violence to the BC Prosecution service, and only 18 have been approved for charges. He adds that since the IIO was created in 2012, 15 cases where charges had been approved but failed to result in convictions after they were contested by police.

“There have been cases where police have pled guilty. But, in cases where they have pled guilty, 15 times the matter has come forward and in exactly zero of those cases have they resulted in conviction,” MacDonald said.

MacDonald says his report — which is not yet completed — will outline steps for the province to make improvements to the way police violence cases are prosecuted, and he’s confident action will be taken.

“I believe the public can have faith in our investigations, but the numbers are such that the public ought to have questions. Those questions need to be addressed and answered. And based on my experience with the ministry, I believe that’s going to occur. We’ll have to wait and see of course.”

In a statement to CityNews, the province says the attorney general has met with the IIO’s chief civilian director to talk about concerns, adding the AG “is open, along with the Solicitor General, to meeting with the First Nations Leadership Council at any time.”

“While the BC Prosecution Service operates independently from government and makes its own decisions on evaluating criminal charges, the government is committed to maintaining confidence in the justice system and addressing systemic racism across the justice system,” the statement reads.

“We know that Indigenous Peoples in B.C. continue to be overrepresented in the criminal justice system, due to long-standing systemic racism and we are committed to addressing it wherever arises.”

The province adds it is “crucial” that police be “held to the highest standards of conduct to maintain public trust.”

“Work is underway on Police Act reform and the Province will work to develop and implement policing reform that is responsive to the diverse needs of all communities and which fosters increased public trust in policing, particularly for Indigenous and racialized communities.”

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify charges were never approved against the officers “involved in the death of Jared Lowndes.