The House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs met on November 24, 2025, to continue its study on Indigenous Policing and Public Safety. The committee heard from six witnesses: Lloyd Yew, Chief Michael Yellowback, Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, Sheila North, Lyle Herman, and Vice-Chief Joseph Tsannie.
Lloyd Yew, CEO of Turtle Island Private Investigators Inc., described his team's work in nine northern Saskatchewan communities, where they respond to complaints including drug activity, violence, and suicide attempts, often when the RCMP is unavailable. He noted that his team's presence has reduced complaints by nearly 50% in one community and that they are working with the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and the RCMP to develop a province-wide community safety officer program. Yew emphasized that the lack of policing and addiction services are major drivers of crime, and that his team's ex-police officers bring a level of training and authority that local community safety officers lack.
Chief Michael Yellowback, representing the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, stated that Manitoba First Nations face a crisis in public safety, with no standards for policing delivery and communities like his own of 1,000 people going three weeks per month without any police presence. He called on the committee to recommend that the Government of Canada legislate First Nations policing as an essential service, establish identifiable standards, and make a firm commitment to support First Nations-led safety measures. He also asked for immediate fixes to the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, including addressing vacant positions and unspent funds, and for co-development of a clear path to First Nations safety jurisdiction aligned with UNDRIP.
Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, Chair of the National Family and Survivors Circle Inc., stated that public safety for Indigenous people is a human right, and that the ongoing cycle of violence is rooted in colonialism, systemic racism, and government inaction. She presented eight key recommendations, including that Indigenous policing be recognized in law as an essential service, that governments implement the policing calls for justice from the MMIWG inquiry without delay, and that public safety be co-developed with Indigenous governments and guided by a human rights lens. She supported Bill C-236, which would add stronger penalties for offenders who refuse to disclose the location of victims' remains, saying it would help families heal.
Sheila North, an Indigenous advocate and advisor, emphasized that policing roles have always existed within First Nations and that governments must recognize that authority and provide resources for training, equipment, and infrastructure. She called for improved recruitment of Indigenous police officers, including those who may have a criminal past but have demonstrated a commitment to change, and for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed officers. North agreed with other witnesses that funding and political will are the main gaps, and that First Nations need autonomy to develop their own police forces.
Lyle Herman, Mayor of the Northern Village of La Loche, described the impact of RCMP shortages, noting that his community of nearly 4,000 people is supposed to have 19 officers but often has far fewer, leading to burnout and cases not getting attention. He called for a policy to provide temporary coverage when staffing drops to 90%, and for improved accountability for repeat offenders, arguing that the current system allows criminals to reoffend without fear of incarceration. Herman also stressed the need for funding to train community members as safety officers and for detox and addictions counselling, and he noted that a lack of housing prevents attracting outside professionals.
Vice-Chief Joseph Tsannie of the Prince Albert Grand Council described his work mediating between communities and the RCMP, and his council's efforts since 2018 to develop its own police force, with a feasibility study expected to be finalized in March. He emphasized that prevention is equally as important as policing, and that his council has developed a model for community safety but lacks funding to implement it. Tsannie also highlighted the need for opportunities for young people, including sports and recreation programs, and for training programs that accommodate the needs of Indigenous recruits from isolated communities.
The committee briefly debated and then adopted a motion by Sébastien Lemire, as amended by Jaime Battiste, to undertake a study on issues related to federally recognized Indigenous communities that do not have a land base or reserve status, as well as those of recognized Indigenous nations that do not have a modern treaty, to be the subject of the committee's next study.
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