NTI wants RCMP to ‘de-task’ across Nunavut
Report calls for fewer non-policing responsibilities, outlines vision of policing in Nunavut being ‘under NTI jurisdiction’
Nunavut RCMP Chief Supt. Andrew Blackadar says he’s willing to have discussions with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. about improving policing in the territory, in light of an NTI report calling for the RCMP to “de-task” itself from some of the things it’s doing. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Nunavut RCMP’s commanding officer says he “wholeheartedly” agrees the RCMP needs to be “de-tasked” of non-police-related duties in the territory.
“The things that we’ve been criticized for over the years are probably non-police functions,” Chief Supt. Andrew Blackadar said in an interview Friday at the Iqaluit detachment.
The idea of “de-tasking” the RCMP — or taking away duties police in other jurisdictions typically don’t have to perform — came up in the 2022-23 report on policing published Feb. 6 by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the organization mandated to protect the rights of Inuit in Nunavut.
“The fact that the police are already overtasked and overstretched is well-established and deserving of understanding, compassion and action,” the report said.
“Nunavut RCMP are being forced onto the front line of reconciliation between the federal government and Inuit.”
Nunatsiaq News contacted NTI for comment for this story, but did not receive a response Monday.
The report said NTI’s long-term goal for de-tasking is to eventually have Nunavut served by an Inuit-led police service, with the RCMP or another police agency supporting it “upon request and under agreement.”
The report offers 13 recommendations for Inuit organizations, RCMP and governments, including conducting research and consultations to create a strategy to “transitioning policing under NTI jurisdiction.”
Currently, the territorial government contracts the RCMP to provide policing services. The most recent 20-year contract was signed in 2012.
Nunavut Justice Minister David Akeeagok rejects the idea of making major changes to the RCMP’s role or its relationship to the Government of Nunavut.
“We use the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to defend our communities, and I don’t see that changing,” he said in an interview at the legislative assembly on March 10.
The RCMP is the only police service in Nunavut contracted by the territorial government. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the GN budgeted just under $70 million for law enforcement.
NTI’s report finds the current system of policing in the territory “broken” and calls for a “brand-new approach.”
It says the federal government is making RCMP the “front-line agents” in its Arctic policies and reconciliation, which creates a “toxic environment” for the officers and is unfair both to the RCMP and Inuit.
Blackadar said he doesn’t agree with NTI’s characterization of the RCMP’s role, but didn’t say whether he sees a future where the RCMP would no longer be the main police force in Nunavut.
However, he accepts that officers in Nunavut do take on more responsibilities than they would in other areas of the country.
Nunavut RCMP responds to about 38,000 calls for service a year in a territory of approximately 40,000 people, Blackadar said, adding that officers usually end up being the first responders to mental health calls.
Also, the police often perform the role of an ambulance service and even the funeral service in smaller communities.
“The police are expected to help out because oftentimes we may have the only truck that’s available,” Blackadar said.
He called it a “brave move” by NTI to publish the report.
“I see it as NTI really opening the door,” Blackadar said. “And I’m certainly well prepared to walk through that door and start some discussions with NTI in improving service delivery of policing in the territory.”
Great idea. Put something like policing in the hands of NTI. Safe move, that’ll be. NTI couldn’t even make somebody available to comment for this story.
Like your sarcasm – and I agree.
I also agree with RCMP rethinking non policing activities they are currently being asked to do. It is the same in the south. Police organizations being asked more and more to handle non police like work. However, who is going to do it? Nice to say, however, NTI needs to do more than just criticize, they need to act and fill the the holes. And no, you do not need more money for training. Nunavut and NTI have had training money for years.
Training must go hand in hand with creation of employment opportunities.
Local by law enforcement officers. Aren’t doing there job. And NTI are going to have locals. Looking after all the task. That are not the responsibility of the RCMP. Yup I hope that works out well. I really do.
I agree that we should have a municipal police force to deal with the smaller problems and let the federal policing deal with the bigger ones. Seems to work everywhere else in canada
We already do. They just don’t work past 5 pm.
RCMP are not mental health workers yet they are usually the first on-scene due to staff shortages. This is not appropriate and needs to change.
Nurses are not mental health workers, paramedics are not mental health workers, elders are not mental health workers and cops are definitely not mental health workers.
If NTI has the solution, let’s pray for meaningful action and not just words.
The federal government downsized hospitals in the 70’s and transferred responsibility of mentally ill patients to municipalities with the promise of extra support, which they never fulfilled. They also moved to a recovery model which sees drug addicts and mentally ill patients combined. Those with mental health issues in earnest are often overlooked – care teams for mentally ill patients up to the 70’s were led by actual psychiatrists with nurses as the case workers. It’s not like that anymore, the feds didn’t follow through with the support needed when they closed down all the hospitals that were specifically made to house and care for mentally ill patients (not drug addiction). The recovery model of care assumes that everyone can “get better” and most people who suffer mental health issues due to using drugs can, people who are just “lucky” enough to have mental disorders are often now slipping through the cracks and dying or going to jail and probably dying there pretty quick. The federal government needs to step in and provide the support they were supposed to. More money for mental health is needed.
If this was Alukis idea let it die with her gone
Holy smokes. NTI can’t even manage what they have on their plate now let alone our protection. You see what’s going on in Northen Quebec? Smarten up people
I don’t want NTI involved in anything close to Law and Order. Its funny, I would use NTI’s description of how the RCMP is functioning to exactly describe how I and I would say a vast majority feel about NTI and the RIA’s, “broken”.
NTI seems to call out the RCMP, yet they don’t have any real solutions. Have they consulted and spoken to Inuit in the communities or do they come up with their assumptions from the comfort of their office here in Iqaluit?
I have seen and spoken to the cops, they do a good job. Instead of calling for change to the RCMP, maybe there needs to be a change in NTI and their role in helping us.
This idea that we, Inuit are going to take on the role of policing amd create their own police force is just silly. Like just look how well that’s working out in Northern Quebec.
It’s time NTI stop the blame game and start working with agencies in Nunavut, like the RCMP.
The idea of local policing has some merit however with a population of the territory equal to a small city think about police policing thier friends and relatives. Shouldn’t matter, just do the job, but it will matter. Part two, establish local forces and work in unison and transition slowly. Don’t let go of what you have until you have a functioning replacement.
Who are they going to hire for this one? Maybe training opportunity for the men that hang around the warming center (damp shelter). Just a thought. Wouldn’t that be something else.
What?!?! and have it turn into Northern Quebec style? really? We have enough problems up here.
I am a beneficiary of the nunavut agreement and I feel that I have not been consulted on this. NTI never consults with us and all we hear from them is complaints and taking legal action against governments. This one is an insane idea especially when our communities are dealing with so much disfunction in relation to drugs and alcohol. I wish NTI would be part of the solution and not an opposition. We need our kids graduating from high school and we need inuit social workers , teachers, nurses. As Inuit we are not even meeting that demand. We need more inuit graduating from high school as our drop out rate is too high. Nunatiaq should do a story on how all the training dollars that NTI and governments recieved are working and how many Inuit received Government positions as a result of the training through Makigiaqta.
The next question where are you going to find local Inuit to take the training/programs already available to them? I agree Nunavut needs Inuit social workers, mental health workers, Doctors, nurses, lawyers and teachers. Now let’s add plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and other tradespeople. ALL the training for these jobs is available right now. But where are the Inuit? Parents not even sending their kids to school. That is what NTI and the GN needs to be addressing.