Statement on Chief Allan Adam’s treatment by RCMP

Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation has taken leadership in speaking out against the treatment of Indigenous people by police and has openly discussed the treatment he was subjected to by the RCMP in March 2020. As a residential school Survivor, leader and advocate for the rights of First Nations, his leadership is welcome and supported by the Centre. Police oversight of RCMP has proven to be slow and ineffective, and British Columbia First Nations have consistently raised issues about the extensive and unreasonable delay for any investigation or review into this pervasive issue.

System racism in policing has garnered national and international attention. IRSHDC Academic Director Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond (Aki-Kwe) is concerned that the head of the RCMP and others continue to fail to name the problem; systemic racism, disrespect for Indigenous Peoples, and aggressive tactics of violence. Police violence and aggression are often unwarranted and unjustifiable, including in cases such as Chief Adam’s, and police officers may not employ violence simply because a citizen – or in Chief Adam’s case, a Survivor – demands to be treated with respect.

Chief Adam is a hero for all residential school Survivors and is a justice-seeker for standing up for his rights and the rights of all Indigenous Peoples. Article 7 provides that “Indigenous individuals have the rights to life, physical and mental integrity, liberty and security of person,” and this right should guide every interaction that the government and the RCMP have with Indigenous peoples.

The Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre is troubled by the disturbing video footage of police and RCMP mistreatment of Indigenous people, and calls on Canadian police departments and the RCMP to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples.