Ottawa signs agreement to find Indigenous policing solutions after Saskatchewan mass stabbing

Federal Public Minister Marco Mendicino says he had a heavy and difficult visit with families of those killed in a mass stabbing before he signed an agreement to explore new ways to improve safety on some First Nations in Saskatchewan.

“It was a sacred moment for me because it was my first time to be in person with them and they were so honest about the difficult moment they’re still in right now,” Mendicino told reporters.

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The agreement between the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan government, and Ottawa creates a collaborative working relationship for community-oriented ways to deliver police services.

Mendicino has said he is pushing to table legislation that would declare Indigenous policing an essential service.

“It is a cornerstone of reconciliation that policing for Indigenous people by Indigenous people is at the very heart of the work that we are doing today,” he said.

Eleven people were killed and 18 injured during the stabbing rampage last month on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon, northeast of Saskatoon.

A suspect in the attacks later died in police custody.

James Smith Cree Nation Chief Wally Burns says finding solutions to policing will also help the community heal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2022.