First Nations fight back against Crime

Leaders of Kehewin Cree Nation, Frog Lake First Nations and Cold Lake First Nations, with the Executive Director of Tribal Chiefs Ventures, Cam Alexis, met with Judge Ivan Ladouceur at the St. Paul Court House on Friday, August 25th. The group was asking for assistance in dealing with growing crime in their communities. Spearheading the meeting, Chief of Kehewin, Brenda Joly, explains the group asked the Judge to enforce BCR (Band Council Resolution) on the First Nations communities, in order to have RCMP further assist in dealing with the drug issue.

“When it comes to addiction, it leads to crime,” the Chief says a lot of the issues with crime in Kehewin Cree Nation take root with drugs. There are people who are essentially trespassing on Kehewin land and refuse to leave. Without a BCR enforced there becomes a gap between what the RCMP are able to to do and what the band can do with their resources.

It’s not just an issue of drugs being pushed on the community, it’s also repeat offenders going through the system, says Chief Joly, “you can’t incarcerate [offenders] and not do any kind of healing. Especially, the First Nations youth.” Kehewin, like many First Nations communities in the area, have started restorative justice programs aimed at helping youths recognize the damage done, to the entire community, by crime and drugs. “They need to recognize why they got themselves into trouble.”

“These are issues we are all facing,” Chief Joly says in attendance was Chief of Cold Lake First Nations, Bernice Martial and Councillor for Frog Lake First Nations, Greg Desjarlais. “We’re going to start meeting and working together on these issues with the Crown Prosecutor and the ‘K’ Division (RCMP). ” Cam Alexis will be following up with each party to organize meetings, he says it may take some time to get everyone in a room and to see action; however he knows this was the first step in the right direction.

“The Chiefs met several times on issues of mutual concern,” Alexis explains the meeting on Friday has helped move towards solutions of ongoing problems in the First Nations communities, “these are issues of drugs, gangs, prostitution. Each Nation has issues of drugs and the drug trade, with crime that’s related to it.”

In the case of Kehewin, they’ve identified several persons they want evicted from the Nation, explains Alexis, “it is their land and their right.” Unfortunately, without the BCR there was a gap between what was Provincial or Federal jurisdiction in terms of law enforcement. “What other mechanisms do the Chiefs have to evict people of dubious distinction? The Chiefs have been very diligent in trying to remove the people.” Alexis explains that Judge Ladoucer will assist in facilitating a meeting with all the parties to help move along solutions, “the judge was very open to try to set up a cohesive meeting with the RCMP’s ‘K’ Division out of Edmonton, as well as the local area, St. Paul, Elk Point, Bonnyville, Cold Lake and all that area. Hopefully, the judge and the crown prosecutor come up with some kind of agreed upon plan to work on [the drug issue].”

Coming out of the meeting Judge Ladoucer did enforce the BCR, but there is still logistics to be worked out, says Alexis, “it’s a federal process whereby First Nations can evoke keeping the peace on First Nations. The judge did indicate that he would, by way of a summons, listen to the issue in court. The issue still lies on who is going to serve [the summons].” Alexis explains that further meetings will help determine if the RCMP will service the summons, and further, if the RCMP won’t serve the summons, then who will.

“The people are concerned, the Chiefs and Councils are concerned, and we want the message to be that we are trying to do something.” Alexis says although it may be a slow process, the group is working towards long-term solutions, “we’re hoping to meet with the crown prosecutor, the RCMP, and everyone with a vested interest and come upon a common, agreed upon, process; for example, to move trespassers.”

“I’m feeling positive after that meeting,” Chief Joly says she feels this was the first step in helping her community, “we need to get these drug dealers that are taking advantage of our [people] off of the reserve.”