And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 12:43:39 -0700 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Tehaliwaskenhas-Bob Kennedy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Call for National Review of RCMP Policies Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Cyfn and Afn Call on Federal Government to Establish a Contextual Review of Rcmp October 8, 1999 Grand Chief Albert James and National Chief Phil Fontaine are calling on the federal government to establish a national review of RCMP policies and procedures following the conclusion of the coroner�s inquest in Whitehorse. The inquest looked into the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of a First Nations man, Harley Clayton Timmers, by an RCMP officer in Whitehorse in September 1998. "The inquest has answered some of the questions of the family and the CYFN. However, it didn�t deal at all with the underlying factors which lead to this unfortunate event", said Grand Chief Albert James. "There has to be an independent review to look at the entire relationship between First Nations and the RCMP. Only such a process will allow to set the groundwork to establish a new and positive relationship between the RCMP and ourselves". The jury recognised that the situation was not properly handled. Among their recommendations are some that state that officers must always take a course of action that is less likely to cause injury to either officers, the public or the suspects. Many recommendations put forward by this jury of laypersons indicate that they recognise that procedures were not followed on the night of September 8, 1998. Harley Clayton Timmers died following a scuffle with then-Constable Wayne Foster. "I have been calling for such a review for more than a year. We have had the shooting of Timmers in Whitehorse and also the shooting of Connie and Ty Jacobs in Tsuu T�ina. Police force always seems to be lethal force when it comes to First Nations. The Solicitor General of Canada must meet with First Nations to determine the scope, mandate and terms for such a contextual review and this has to be done immediately", said National Chief Phil Fontaine. "The federal government must not allow another life to be lost in such tragic circumstances. We have already lost too many lives". The National Chief and the Grand Chief will call upon the Solicitor General in the next few days to set a date for a meeting in order to bring forward this proposal and obtain a commitment from the government. For additional information, contact Cheryl McLain (CYFN) at (867) 393-9240 or Jean LaRose (AFN) at (613) 795-9664. Turtle Island Native Network Your Aboriginal News and Information Network on the Internet http://www.turtleisland.org Winner - 1999 Aboriginal Media Arts Award. "Let's do it before we don't do it!" Tehaliwaskenhas - G.R.(Bob) Kennedy INFOCOM Management 1 - 1986 Glenidle Road, Sooke, BC V0S 1N0 Phone: (250) 642-0277 Fax: (250) 642-0278 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.turtleisland.org
