“We recognize and understand that trust must be earned, that healing takes time and that reconciliation is not a gesture but a responsibility. We all must work collectively towards reconciliACTION,” said the Yellowknife Women’s Society and the N.W.T. RCMP in a joint statement issued on Dec. 10.
Together with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the organizations pledged that they will work together to address the experiences of systemic discrimination, fear and a lack of safety experienced by underhoused Indigenous women living in Yellowknife.
“This Joint Statement is guided by the following Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action:
Call 30: Eliminate the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in custody.
Call 31: Provide culturally appropriate alternatives to imprisonment.
Call 39: Develop a national plan to collect and report data on the criminal victimization of Indigenous peoples.
Call 53: Establish a National Council for Reconciliation.
Call 57: Educate public servants on the legacy of residential schools.
We recognize that systemic change cannot happen in isolation; it requires partnership, transparency, and sustained listening. Most of all, it requires supporting and honouring Indigenous peoples as leaders in building safer and more just communities. Together, we walk this path forward with humility and determination, knowing that real trust is earned not through promises, but through action.”
The statement comes as part of an ongoing dialogue between the Yellowknife Women’s Society, the N.W.T. RCMP and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation that included a meeting in October in response to a 2024 report.
The report focused on the relationship between underhoused Indigenous women in Yellowknife and the RCMP. The report provided an analysis of the situation along with recommendations for policy change. Renee Sanderson, executive director of the Yellowknife Women’s Society, said that the findings showed a documented pattern of unhoused Indigenous women being over-policed.
“Unhoused Indigenous women are over-policed by the RCMP. This over-policing is in part caused by inadequate social services like housing and health, which drive crises and result in more police contact with unhoused Indigenous women. A high ratio of police officer per community member in Yellowknife, the visibility of being unhoused, and systemic discrimination towards Indigenous people also drive more frequent police interactions. The over-policing of Indigenous women increases their risk of experiencing harm at the hands of police and contributes to their higher rates of criminalization and incarceration. Unhoused Indigenous women are under-protected by the RCMP. Their stories are less likely to be believed and their concerns are less likely to be taken seriously. Some Indigenous women do not reach out for help from law enforcement when they need it because of prior experiences of being dismissed or failed by police. These patterns make it harder to effectively address the significant rates of victimization and violence against unhoused Indigenous women in the Northwest Territories,” said Sanderson.
In the joint statement released on Wednesday, the Yellowknife Women’s Society and the RCMP said they are committed to change through “action” that is “rooted in the lived realities” of Indigenous women.
The society and N.W.T. police said they are committed to enhancing the awareness and understanding of victim rights.
They said one way they plan to do this is through a wide distribution of physical copies of a “Know your rights” and Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR) information wallet cards in community spaces and on social media by Feb. 15.
The Yellowknife Women’s Society said they plan to review RCMP Indigenous awareness training materials and provide feedback by Feb. 15. The organization will also engage with the RCMP in a workshop with Elders and youth within the next few months.
The Yellowknife Women’s Society and the RCMP are also assessing whether they will meet more frequently with the RCMP deputy commissioner.
The RCMP said by March 31, they will complete a first recruitment session for Indigenous officers.
The society and the police said the joint statement issued on Dec. 10 is just a “beginning” and they plan to work towards ongoing assessment, evaluation and annual reporting of outcomes.
“We agree that all these commitments will be guided by trauma-aware and culturally safe engagement and consultation with Indigenous communities and leaders.”
