F Division Reconciliation Strategy 2019-2022

Updated December 2020

F Division Reconciliation Strategy: Background

Reconciliation between the RCMP and the Indigenous people of Saskatchewan is a top priority for F Division. It represents a permanent commitment to foster respectful, trusting relationships with Indigenous people, communities, and employees through good faith, honour, and fairness. This strategy was created to provide a roadmap for action that is meaningful to the Indigenous people and communities we serve^{Footnote 1}.

F Division regularly reaches out to Indigenous people, Elders, and community leaders to help us understand how we can enhance our relationships and improve how we collaborate with them. This engagement was essential to developing a solid foundation for Reconciliation efforts of the Division.

Some of the engagement that contributed to this strategy includes:

1. Conversations about Reconciliation between F Division Indigenous Policing Services (IPS) and Indigenous people and groups from around Saskatchewan.
2. Engagement questions about Reconciliation sent directly to all Indigenous Chiefs in the province.
3. Meetings with Elders in various Indigenous communities throughout the province.
4. Requests for feedback from Indigenous RCMP employees and Indigenous advisory committees.
5. Conversations about Reconciliation with Indigenous students and teachers at the First Nations University of Canada, the University of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
6. Meetings with students and teachers about Reconciliation at several public schools throughout the province.
7. Requests for feedback from leaders at the Federation of Sovereign Indian Nations (FSIN), The Office of the Treaty Commissioner, and Métis Nation Saskatchewan.

National Reconciliation Efforts

The F Division Reconciliation Strategy was designed to focus on local Reconciliation issues and concerns while aligning with and supporting the national strategic direction.

The RCMP is currently in the process of creating a national Reconciliation strategy that will seek to address Reconciliation from a national perspective. There is also a national Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy that will further supplement Reconciliation efforts.

Once the national strategies are finalized, the divisional strategy will be reviewed to ensure alignment.

"Keep treating Indigenous people as partners. Keep knocking at our doors 'just for a visit' and we will invite you in for tea and bannock sooner or later. Don't give up on us even if we turn you away a few times. By being invited in for tea and bannock, we accept you as a friend. This must not be taken lightly."

F Division Reconciliation Strategy: Strategic Objectives

Reconciliation defined

Part of engagement was reaching out to Indigenous people to understand what Reconciliation means to them. Their perspectives helped create a definition of Reconciliation that reflects what is important to the Indigenous people of Saskatchewan:

Recognizing the truths of the past and our shared history; respecting and embracing the Indigenous culture, beliefs, and history; and rekindling trust with Indigenous people and communities.

Reconciliation Objectives and Initiatives

In November 2020, a project team was assembled to review the Reconciliation Strategy and feedback provided by Indigenous leaders and partners. This allowed for an honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in the division's approach to Reconciliation. The result was an update to the strategic objectives and initiatives as follows:

Objective #1 - Increase Indigenous representation within the RCMP through recruitment and retention.

Specific actions to achieve this:

• Utilize the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) to provide Indigenous students with employment opportunities in detachments.
• Promote the Police Observer Program and Auxiliary Program to Indigenous youth to provide first-hand policing experience and knowledge.
• Create an Indigenous employee network for Indigenous employees to support each other and develop a leadership and mentorship network.
• Reclassify a staffing position as an Indigenous staffing advisor that will support and provide advice to Indigenous employees in their career planning.

Objective #2 - Focus on internal training and education to create a better organizational understanding of Indigenous people, culture, ceremonies, and history.

Specific actions to achieve this:

• Revitalize the F Division Indigenous Policing Services internal intranet page to better provide internal guidance and contact information for training and support on Indigenous issues.
• Work with partners to implement training that increases employees' understanding of intergenerational trauma.
• Research and understand other Reconciliation efforts in the province to ensure F Division's efforts align and support them accordingly.
• Encourage employee participation in local Indigenous cultural events and learning opportunities.

Objective #3 - Improve how we provide enforcement services to Indigenous people and communities.

Specific actions to achieve this:

• Community Program Officers to work with Indigenous communities to promote and support the development of restorative justice framework in their communities to support meaningful and culturally appropriate justice practices.
• Explore the inclusion of Reconciliation efforts in leadership job postings.
• Develop a better organizational understanding of systemic racism and how it negatively affects Indigenous people and communities.
• Track how our Reconciliation efforts meet the Calls to Action and Calls to Justice. Seek additional opportunities to work with Indigenous communities and advisory committees to assess our response and adapt accordingly.

Objective #4 – Improve two-way communication about Reconciliation to create further awareness of our Reconciliation efforts and better understand other perspectives.

Specific actions to achieve this:

• Utilize the F Division Communications Unit to find new ways to communicate Reconciliation efforts and successes.
• Engage in conversations with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, youth and community leaders about Reconciliation. Seek their perspectives and guidance on what we can do to move Reconciliation forward.
• Improve direct communication with communities by creating a quarterly Reconciliation newsletter (may be at the district or divisional level).

F Division Reconciliation Strategy: Continuous Improvement

We are committed to creating meaningful change that will improve the RCMP's relationship with the Indigenous people of Saskatchewan now and into the future. This strategy was created to build upon previous successes and seek continuous improvement in our approach to Reconciliation, and will be reviewed annually and will be supplemented by a yearly action plan and a yearly report that outlines the division's Reconciliation efforts and successes.

To measure the impact of Reconciliation efforts, F Division will seek to demonstrate improvement in the following performance measures:

• Public perceptions of the Saskatchewan RCMP's contributions to Reconciliation.
• Contract Partner perceptions of the Saskatchewan RCMP's contributions to Reconciliation^{Footnote 2}.
• The percent of RCMP employees that self-identify as Indigenous.
• The number of Indigenous cultural training opportunities provided to RCMP employees.
• The number of restorative justice referrals in Saskatchewan.

Date modified:

2021-02-24