Nunavut’s new top cop prioritizes transparency, Inuit recruitment
Chief Supt. Kent Pike becomes 10th commanding officer of RCMP’s V Division, where only 4 of 157 officers are Inuit
From left, Andrew Blackadar looks on as RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme presents Chief Supt. Kent Pike with an RCMP flag. The Dec. 10 handover marks the transfer of command of Nunavut RCMP from Blackadar to Pike. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Transparency, Inuit recruitment and officers’ well-being are some of the issues Chief Supt. Kent Pike prioritized Wednesday as he took command of the Nunavut RCMP.
Pike was welcomed as the 10th commanding officer of the RCMP’s V Division in a ceremony held inside an Iqaluit airport hangar.
Andrew Blackadar, standing on the podium, salutes a flag party at the change of command ceremony for Chief Supt. Kent Pike. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
The approximately hour-long event was a sea of scarlet, with officers wearing their traditional red serge uniforms. They presented a display of RCMP traditional drills to celebrate Pike in his new role, as about 40 invited guests looked on.
“I’m committed to the territory and I’m going to do my best for everyone,” Pike told reporters after the ceremony.
Of the 157 RCMP officers working in Nunavut, only four are Inuit.
Pike said he wants to improve local recruitment and representation. He plans to build on the work his predecessor, Andrew Blackadar, started with an Inuit advisory council to ensure community perspectives guide his decision-making.
“These are the people that are trusted by the people in their communities to go ahead and provide to us what they feel [is] important,” Pike said.
Commissioner Mike Duheme, the RCMP’s national commanding officer, attended the ceremony. He said he wants to help by shortening the time it takes to process new recruits to get them training more quickly.
“We want to recruit people from the community, bring them back to the community if they wish to do so,” Duheme said.
“The organization has to be representative of the communities we serve.”
RCMP officers raise their hats in honour of Andrew Blackadar, who retired as Nunavut’s commanding officer this year. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Pike said he wants to make sure his officers are happy and healthy as they do their jobs. He also promised to lead with “transparency and accountability.”
“There’s no secret that we’re able to share things with the public,” he said.
“They should be aware and they should know what we’re doing in this territory.”
Pike was born and raised in Burin, N.L. He joined the RCMP as a cadet in 2001 and began policing in his home province the following year.
Most of his RCMP career has been in the North. He worked in Labrador and the Northwest Territories before transferring to become Nunavut’s officer in charge of criminal operations in 2022.
When Blackadar retired and took a new job in Nunavut’s Department of Justice last June, Pike was named acting commander. He took on the role permanently in October.
“[Pike] understands the North, and he certainly has taken it upon himself to know, learn and embrace Nunavut and the culture here,” Blackadar said.
Pike said that in the North, every officer needs a support system. For him, it’s his family.
He said he plans to be approachable, collaborative and attentive to community members across the territory. He wants to stay in this role long term.
“Part of the reasons that I feel very blessed to have this position is I’m going to bring some longevity. There’s no timeline for myself,” Pike said.
“I’m committed to the RCMP here in Nunavut and also to residents.”
Transparency? Inuit recruitment? Is there an echo cause thats what they all say when they start.
If inuit want to be cops, they can become cops, no need to pour a bunch of money into failed recruitment efforts.
Last time they recruited 25 inuit for rcmp only 1 actually ended up working for the rcmp. All the others quit. A 4% success rate means there’s probably better ways to use your time and resources.
“Of the 157 RCMP officers working in Nunavut, only four are Inuit.”
That’s just under 3%; equivalent to Inuit placement in nearly every professional position in Nunavut. That includes engineers, doctors, teachers, accountants, scientists, ad infinitum. The only exception for high-paid positions is with government and NGO appointments where the pay mirrors a profession, but the position doesn’t require professional credentials.
Of course, this lack of professional credibility is NOT because Inuit lack the ability to excel in any profession. Not at all. The outcome is strictly cultural. Change the culture, change the outcome.
Defund the police. They’re nothing but an institution that promotes human trafficking and covers it up by any means. Stalk and harass victims of human trafficking is there mandate.
These are violent colonial institutions that do not have Inuit best interests, actually very far from having Inuit interests or needs at their core.
Overall, end government corruption and you will see resources go where they are intended(for the people of their jurisdiction) and there will be less poverty and less crime and less trauma.
But let’s see how they’ll deflect the blame in the future.
what a load of BS. meaningless, conspiratorial junk. thank god the RCMP are here. what a thankless job these people do. keeping the riff raff from coming to rob you at gunpoint at your residence.
Let’s see what the liberal party is really hiding then. Let’s get the conspiracy over with. Get these rapist colonial pigs out of Nunavuts beautiful lands.
“Defund”. Yes, you’re absolutely right! The RCMP is just one giant criminal human trafficking cartel. Has been since it’s official creation over 100 years ago. But you just singlehandedly have just exposed it. You are absolutely brilliant to have figured that out all on your own. No further education needed for you!
So now, tell us “defund”. How exactly has Inuit run government (Government of Nunavut) (that is our government run by Inuit’s) spent the 100’s of Billions of dollars of its budgets over the last 25 years? Has that money not gone towards governing Nunavut in its entirety? Or as you put it quote, “for the people of their jurisdiction”. Has that money not been spent on services, infrastructure, programs, etc., etc.. provided to all Nunavummiut?
So, in your brilliant mind, all those dollars are supposed to go exactly where? Stop pointing fingers at the “colonial institutions” as you call them. Stand up and take responsibility. There is a reason as one commentor appropriately pointed out that there are not more Inuit professionals occupying professional positions throughout the Territory and it has nothing to do with anything you are talking about in your comment. There are reasons Nunavut continues to struggle with everything from poverty to education to healthcare, etc, etc… and it’s not because of Colonialism. Continuously going around in a circle on the victimization/conspiracy train is now nothing more than dizzying and boring. That train has left the station!
If you want something. Like anyone else in the entire world. You have to go earn it. You have to sacrifice for it. You have to stop blaming everyone and anyone. You have to want to make your life better. You have to want to be part of the solution. You have to find the answers. Not wait for someone else to, for you.
Until that time comes. I suggest you further study the RCMP, its history and contribution to not only Canada but throughout the world. It has certainly not been perfect, far from it. But I will take what it provides over “defunding” it, any day of the week.
Who ya gonna call then when your neighbour is drunk smashing windows and smoking weed in his unit? Ghostbusters!
Why would I want to become a cop just to babysit iqaluit drunks?
Recycled words from past centuries…there are a few cops who completely abuse their inherited powers, some learn the lesson, some get recycled elsewhere to continue the abuse.