Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, I rise today from the traditional, unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation with a heavy heart.
On January 13, Darrell Augustine of the Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia was shot and killed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
And on January 18, Bronson Paul of the Neqotkuk First Nation in New Brunswick died under similar circumstances.
Today, I want to honour them as human beings — as sons, brothers, fathers, relatives and so much more — whose absence leaves a void that can never be filled. My heart goes out to the families, especially the children, who have lost loved ones and to the communities standing with them in grief and in search of answers.
These recent deaths follow similar losses in Atlantic Canada, including Chantel Moore and Rodney Levi in 2020, as well as Steven Dedam in 2024.
These tragedies add to an increasing number of First Nations people dying during interactions with the RCMP and other forces across Canada. Each loss reopens wounds that persist across generations already marked by trauma, loss and grief largely stemming from colonization. These fatal police encounters cannot be separated from the long and painful history of harm where our communities have been over-policed and underprotected for generations.
The institutions entrusted with public safety were once tasked with enforcing colonial control through subjugation, displacement and assimilation. As a result, the presence of police too often invokes fear, not safety. That legacy shapes present-day interactions and outcomes, creating conditions in which First Nations people are more likely to be subject to force and, too often, killed.
Due to the higher rates of mental health challenges in First Nations communities, many fatal encounters involve individuals in crisis, highlighting the need for more community-led control and culturally rooted responses. For decades, we have documented these patterns and put forward recommendations, but inaction has prevailed, leading to more harm, more death and more grief.
Colleagues, I stand in solidarity with the families, communities and leaders from the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey Nations — and beyond — calling for urgent action and meaningful change.
This moment demands more than condolences. All levels of government must listen to our voices and act with urgency to protect lives and prevent future tragedies.
Msit No’kmaq. Thank you. Wela’lin.