Members of Parliament held an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Monday night looking into the recent deaths of First Nations people with relations with Canadian police forces.
Six First Nations people have died in the last two weeks at the hands of police officers. NDP MP Lori Idlout wrote a letter to House Speaker Greg Fergus speaking to the lack of legislation on First Nation policing.
The deaths happened nationwide between Aug. 29 and Sept. 8.
The first indecent involved Jack Piché of Clearwater Dené Nation. He died after being hit by an RCMP vehicle on Aug. 29.
The next day, August 30, fifteen-year-old Hoss Lightning-Saddleback of Samson Cree First Nation was shot by police after he called 911 to say that he was being followed by people who wanted to harm him.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team said in a statement that officers determined he was at risk, and while he was initially co-operative, he ran away from police and two officers shot at him.
Tammy Bateman of Roseau River First Nation died after being hit by a Winnipeg police cruiser on September 2.
Jason West was shot by police in Windsor, Ontario on September 6.
On September 8th, Steven Dedam was shot by police at Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick. RCMP responded to a call that Dedam was armed and threatening to harm himself.
Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan also had a death on September 8th, where they shot and killed Daniel Knife during a confrontation.
Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak is the national chief for the Assembly of First Nations, and Nepinak says the deaths represent systemic issues across the country. She is demanding accountability from police through independent investigations into each of the deaths.
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