Calgary will be the headquarters for Independent Agency Police Service in Alberta
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The police service follows legislation passed in the spring that allowed for the birth of a new agency, called the Independent Agency Police Service, overseen by a board of civilians, and a Crown corporation, both of which would operate at 'arm's length' of the government.
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'The IAPS will be able to provide targeted support, working closely with police services and municipal and First Nations leaders to identify where additional resources are needed,' Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said at a news conference on Wednesday.
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The province also named former deputy Calgary police chief Sat Parhar, who has spent more than 25 years as a police officer, as the head of the agency.
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'It's an honour to take on this role and help shape a modern police service built for Alberta,' Parhar said.
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'My focus from Day 1 will be on setting high standards for professionalism, building strong relationships with our partners and ensuring this service reflects the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.'
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The province hasn't provided an exact timeline or cost of starting and operating the new service. 'There is a labour component of this that we're going to be working out,' Ellis said.
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The province will draw police officers from Alberta Sheriffs, which currently performs a few policing responsibilities but doesn't have a civilian oversight board.
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The fate of the approximately 1,200 sheriffs hired by Alberta hangs in the balance, as the province has previously indicated that it plans to hire 600 sheriffs for the new police force, and dedicate the money that is set for the agency to operating the latest service.
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The new force will not replace the RCMP, Ellis said, but will work alongside the federal agency to provide more options to municipalities, some of which have complained about longer wait times and rising costs of contracting with the federal police service.
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Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Premier touts shared commitment for Trans-Canada twinning
Manitoba has pledged to work with Treaty 3 First Nations and recognize Anishinaabe law in the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway. Premier Wab Kinew and other members of cabinet travelled to Powwow Island on Lake of the Woods Tuesday to mark the occasion. Following a ceremony at Wauzhushk Onigum Roundhouse, located about 220 kilometres west of Winnipeg, government leaders signed a memorandum of understanding with the Niiwin Wendaanimok Partnership. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES 'Everybody will benefit from (this work), when there's a safer Trans-Canada from Winnipeg to Kenora,' Premier Wab Kinew said. The collective representing four First Nations located near the Manitoba-Ontario border — Wauzhushk Onigum, Washagamis Bay, Shoal Lake 40 and Niisaachewan — hailed the event as historic. The agreement pertains to the widening of an approximately 16-kilometre section of the cross-country highway between the interprovincial crossing and Provincial Road 301 near Falcon Lake. Tree-clearing and other preliminary work to establish a four-lane highway began more than two years ago under Manitoba's former Progressive Conservative government. The parties who met Tuesday agreed to work together throughout the planning and design stages of the Highway 1 project. Kinew told reporters that he was pleased to kick things off 'in a good way' by participating in ceremony and talking to Anishinaabe leaders in the region about their priorities. 'Everybody will benefit from (this work), when there's a safer Trans-Canada from Winnipeg to Kenora,' the premier said. Kinew was joined by Lisa Naylor, minister of transportation and infrastructure, and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie. First Nations leaders recently offered them tobacco at the Manitoba legislature as a symbol of their desire to respect traditional protocols, the premier recalled. 'We came here to honour that,' he said. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Niiwin Wendaanimok's Natalie Daniels said it's a major milestone that recognizes Anishinaabe laws and governance processes and 'the importance of free, prior, and informed consent' in infrastructure development. For Kinew, incorporating Manito Aki Inakonigaawin (the Great Earth Law) will involve considering the environment, economy, health and safety, and the principle of respect in practise. He said the parties' foundational agreement will prove especially helpful when it comes time to navigate twinning a complex section of roadway near Barren Lake. The existing westbound stretch crosses the lake at present. The partners will need to pick a route that protects the waterway, Kinew said. Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
9 hours ago
- CBC
Musqueam slam 'disappointing' ruling on rights and title, but Cowichan maintain it rights injustice
Social Sharing The fallout from last week's B.C. Supreme Court ruling on a rights and title case that favoured the Cowichan Nation is continuing, with other Indigenous groups saying they are "devastated" by the decision and the province filing an appeal. The Cowichan Nation, which consists of five First Nation communities on Vancouver Island — the Cowichan Tribes, Halalt, Lyackson, Penelakut and Stz'uminus — was successful in arguing they have a right to fish in the Fraser River, and that they have Aboriginal title to a parcel of land in Richmond, B.C. But while Cowichan members are celebrating the historic win, other First Nation communities with traditional ties to the Fraser River voiced their disappointment, with legal counsel for the Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations reviewing the decision. Chief Wayne Sparrow of the Musqueam said the decision was "surprising and disappointing," noting that the lands in question are "in the heart of [Musqueam] traditional territory." "We have deep ties to that specific area," he said on CBC's The Early Edition on Tuesday. Sparrow said Indigenous jurisdiction was being decided through colonial court systems and "now we have to review what our options are and how we move forward." He says if you ask any First Nation in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, the Fraser River was not known as the Cowichan River prior to colonization, citing oral Musqueam history. B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma, also talking on the The Early Edition, said the province's particular concern with the ruling concerns its potential unintended impact on private land ownership. She said her office is concerned that "innocent land purchasers" will face backlash from the ruling because the Cowichan Nation claimed private property in the case. Sharma said "complicated law" comes into play when trying to resolve historic land disputes. "We don't think the court got the right balance here," she said. "There's always going to be ways that we need to resolve reconciliation with First Nations, and that this land across B.C. has many nations that have rights and title claims related to it. "When we think the court didn't get the right balance with the law, it's our job to face that challenge in court." But Robert Morales with the Cowichan Tribes said the ruling rectifies injustice. Morales, who has been the chief negotiator of the Cowichan Tribes and Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group for 20 years, says 80-90 per cent of the Cowhican Nation's traditional territory was privatized and given away. "I have been asking the government since the year 2000 to deal with the issue of . . . what are the remedies for the unlawful taking of our lands?" "This is a historical grievance that needs to be resolved, we had no choice but to push this into a court case, hopefully this will motivate the government to actually take action." He said "the nations are not seeking to displace private land owners, who own homes and properties through this process."
The Province
15 hours ago
- The Province
How could Cowichan nations' title over parts of Richmond affect property rights?
The nation says it wants a return of traditional village lands for ceremonies and fishing along that area of the Fraser River. The province plans to appeal Warehouses and industrial land in the area of southeastern Richmond that the courts have ruled belongs to the five First Nations that make up the Cowichan peoples. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PNG The province announced Monday it is appealing the B.C. Supreme Court ruling that granted the Cowichan Nation title to large swaths of southeast Richmond and fishing rights in the Fraser River. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors 'We feel that this decision has significant legal issues, and we believe that those legal issues must be reconsidered on appeal,' Attorney General Niki Sharma said. 'This case is an example of why the province prefers to resolve land claims through negotiation — where we can protect property rights directly — rather than risk considerable uncertainty through court decisions.' Justice Barbara Young made the ruling following the longest trial in Canadian history, with 513 trial days over almost four years. At issue was 7½ square kilometres of southeastern Lulu Island and another two-thirds of a square kilometre along the Fraser River shoreline where the ancient Cowichan village of Tl'uqtinus was situated. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The land is owned by the federal government, the province, the City of Richmond, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and various private companies and individuals. In her 863 page decision, Young ruled the federal and city governments' title in the area is invalid and that four of the five nations that make up the Cowichan — the Cowichan Tribes, Stz'uminus First Nation, Penelakut Tribe and Halalt First Nation — have the title to the land. 'It is because of our knowledge sharing protocols, the passing down of oral history and the teachings of our elders received, starting as young children, that we have been able to do this work to make our territory whole again,' Chief Cindy Daniels of Cowichan Tribes told a news conference in Duncan on Monday. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Privately owned lands and the Vancouver airport fuel delivery project lands are not covered by the ruling, although Young wants the province and YVR to negotiate 'in good faith' with the Cowichan to reconcile its historical interests in those lands. The decision on the invalidation of land titles held by the federal government, the port and City of Richmond has been stayed for 18 months to allow time for title to be transferred. Here are four things to know: What does the decision enable the Cowichan Nation to do? The Cowichan Nation says the granting of title will allow them to recover land that held the Tl'uqtinus village and engage in traditional practices such as ceremonies and fishing along that area of the Fraser River. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Our land and resources objectives are to recover and restore our village and surrounding lands, re-establish our permanent residence and river access, re-establish our cultural practices, including those that support food security and sustainability, realize economic development and re-establish the truth of our history in that region,' said Daniels. 'These declarations are powerful reminders to colonial governments about the importance of reconciliation and addressing historical injustices. While not quick, the courts remain an option for First Nations when we are not heard and our rights are ignored.' The nation's lawyer, David Robbins, said the goal of the trial was not compensation but rather the reclaiming of Cowichan's traditional lands and Young's decision means any use of the land would have to take place with Cowichan's permission. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The area includes a number of warehouses and port facilities on lands owned by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, including the Lulu Island Terminal and Westport Portside Terminals. It also home to an Amazon fulfilment centre and distribution services for Ikea. In court filings, Richmond had expressed concern that it could lose control of municipal infrastructure worth $100 billion, including dikes and other flood control mechanisms such as catchments and pump stations. It said it had been making plans to spend $46 million to improve the dike in the claim area. Young found that the Cowichan had used the Tl'uqtinus lands for fishing and hunting before their first contact with Europeans in the 1790s and lived there full time during the summer before heading back to Vancouver Island for the winter. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They continued to maintain their village until the government started parcelling it up in 1871, despite Governor James Douglas having set it aside in 1859 to be turned into reserve land. It never became a reserve and by 1914 the land had all been sold to settlers without the Cowichan's knowledge or permission, which Young said infringed on the nation's Aboriginal rights. A truck pulls out of a facility in the area of southeastern Richmond that the courts have ruled belongs to four of five First Nations that make up the Cowichan peoples. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PNG Why are the Musqueam Indian Band and Tsawwassen First Nation opposed? The Musqueam Indian Band and the Tsawwassen First Nation opposed the claims made by the Cowichan, arguing they infringe on their own titles and fishing rights, with Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow indicating he plans to appeal Young's decision. In a statement, Sparrow said the five nations making up the Cowichan had gone against 'Coast Salish protocols' and challenged 'traditional resource-sharing practices.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It is especially concerning that they resorted to the colonial legal system, which was not established to respect or reflect our traditional teachings,' he said. 'We are particularly disheartened the court didn't recognize the importance of oral history and traditional governance protocols which guide intercommunity relationships since time immemorial.' The Tsawwassen First Nation has yet to respond to the decision but in court filings also argued they had camped and fished on the lands claimed by the Cowichan and that the nation should not have sole access to the lands and waters around the historical Tl'uqtinus village site. How has the province, Richmond and the port responded? Attorney General Niki Sharma told reporters on Monday that the province plans to appeal the decision after having time to review it over the weekend. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The update comes after Premier David Eby had said last week that his government would try to negotiate a solution with all parties involved but was also considering an appeal. Our government is committed to protecting and upholding private property rights, while advancing the critical work of reconciliation,' said Sharma. 'We will continue to provide updates as this process moves forward.' Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie told Postmedia on Monday that the city's lawyers are still going through Young's decision and that he can't say too much now, but did express concern that the 'potential implications could be enormous.' The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, said it is still reviewing the decision and 'will provide further updates at an appropriate time in the future.' Read More International Soccer News Travel Local News University
