Nishnawbe Aski Police Service's former chief files $2.5M wrongful dismissal lawsuit
The former chief of Canada's largest First Nations police service has filed a more than $2.5-million lawsuit against the its oversight board, alleging he was wrongfully terminated.
Roland Morrison was terminated from the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) in November following an independent investigation. He had been suspended with pay in March over misconduct allegations.
"Following the conclusion of that investigation, the NAPS board of directors had made the decision to terminate Roland Morrison's employment with NAPS, effective immediately," the board said in a statement Nov. 1.
According to a statement of claim filed in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice in Thunder Bay, Morrison is seeking $2.5 million in damages, for wrongful dismissal and breach of contract.
The statement alleges NAPS and its board acted in bad faith in their investigation and termination of Morrison. It describes him as an "exemplary employee" and says the termination was done in a "disrespectful manner".
NAPS and the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service Board "engaged in a fishing expedition to find any conduct, regardless of how stale-dated and untrue, which could be relied on to terminate Chief Morrison for cause," it alleges.
NAPS board to file full defence, chair says
NAPS, which serves 34 First Nations across northern Ontario, is now led by police Chief Terry Armstrong, who came out of retirement to take on the role.
Frank McKay, chair of the NAPS board, provided an emailed statement to CBC News about Morrison's lawsuit, reiterating he was terminated for cause.
"The board arrived at the decision to terminate Mr. Morrison after very careful consideration, following a full and detailed investigation," said McKay.
The board has received Morrison's statement of claim and plans to file a full defence, he said.
McKay said no further comment will be provided.
None of the allegations by either Morrison on the NAPS board have been proven in court.
Document details 2 investigations
Morrison is a member of Chapleau Cree First Nation who was born and raised in Moose Factory, Ont. He was appointed police chief in April 2019.
Before his full-time appointment, Morrison spent six years as deputy chief of police and became acting chief in September 2018, following Armstrong's retirement.
In the statement of claim, two investigations into Morrison are detailed.
He was first placed on administrative leave in March 2024 pending an investigation into a discrimination complaint made my an NAPS employee. The complaint was about a protocol that NAPS's board put in place about his former spouse, who was a detective staff sergeant for NAPS.
"In particular, on Feb. 20, 2024, Chief Morrison was advised of an updated reporting protocol which removed Chief Morrison's involvement in a complaint against his former spouse, Det. Staff Sgt. Morrison," said the statement of claim.
The claim states Morrison did not involve himself in the investigation, but did voice concerns about the way his ex-spouse was told she was being placed on an administrative leave.
"This was communicated to her via a virtual Zoom call prior to a known 10-hour drive from her assignment to Thunder Bay. The method of communication was not culturally sensitive to Det. Staff Sgt. Morrison's Indigenous heritage, nor did it consider the impact on her mental health," said the statement.
Morrison was suspended with pay pending the results of an independent investigation.
The claim alleges NAPS attempted to find a reason to terminate Morrison so it wouldn't have to continue paying him. It said he was contacted at the end of May 2024 about a second investigation.
"It was alleged that Chief Morrison unlawfully provided firearms to the officers of the Navajo Nation, for adornment on their uniforms during ceremonial appearances during their visit to Nishnawbe Aski Nation's traditional territory in Northern Ontario," reads the statement.
The ceremonial visit took place in August 2023, but the statement of claim alleges NAPS said it only became aware of the allegations in April 2024.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Toronto Star
Saskatchewan lays charges in wildfires while 1,000 more flee in Manitoba
Prairie wildfires developed on two fronts Friday, as 1,000 more Manitoba residents were forced to flee their homes and Saskatchewan RCMP charged two people with starting blazes. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference that one charge relates to starting a fire near La Ronge, which has forced 7,000 people from the area. 'The RCMP have informed us that they have now charged a couple of individuals,' Moe said. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW An 18-year-old woman from Montreal Lake Cree Nation and a 36-year-old man from Pelican Narrows each face one count of arson, said RCMP. It's alleged the woman set the fire in a rural area near La Ronge. The man is accused of setting fires in a ditch near the turnoff to Snowden, northeast of Prince Albert. As of Friday, Saskatchewan had 24 active wildfires and Moe said between 10,000 and 15,000 people are out of their communities. 'Many if not virtually all of the fires that we're dealing with in Saskatchewan, although not intentionally, are human caused. Some of those have been intentionally human caused,' Moe said. Saskatchewan and Manitoba are both under a state of emergency, which makes it easier for different levels of government to co-ordinate a response. Manitoba has also received help from the military to evacuate residents, mainly in remote First Nations. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Moe has faced calls from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the Opposition NDP to follow suit. 'Every available resource in Canada must be utilized to combat these wildfires,' FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron wrote in a letter to Moe. 'We cannot afford to let critical assistance go unused.' The premier said while his Saskatchewan Party government is in daily contact with federal officials, provincial emergency crews have so far been able to get evacuees out. Moe said the Canadian Red Cross was also working to set up shelters for evacuees in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. In Manitoba, the town of Snow Lake issued a mandatory evacuation order Friday due to a large wildfire threatening the area east of Flin Flon. 'You must leave because of the danger to your health and safety,' reads a notice on the town's Facebook page. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW That fire, which had grown to more than 3,000 square kilometres, has already forced out all 5,000 residents of the city of Flin Flon and about 1,000 more in surrounding homes and cottages. With Snow Lake evacuees added in, about 19,000 were out of their homes in Manitoba. About 27 fires were burning in the province, with eight classified as out of control. Earlier Friday, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said evacuees have found places to stay with friends or family, in hotels or in congregate shelters. Getting evacuees into private accommodations is tricky, he said, because many hotel rooms are being reserved for people with 'intense' medical issues. 'We just have to do a balancing act,' Kinew said. 'At this point, the big-picture challenge around rooms has largely been addressed. 'It's now just about the daily balancing act of triaging people coming in and people who are already in shelters and matching them up with rooms.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Shelters have been set up in Winnipeg, Thompson and Brandon. The City of Flin Flon said on social media that no structures have been lost in the community or across the boundary in nearby Creighton, Sask. 'Winds in the area are now blowing from the south, resulting in heavy smoke and fire moving towards the south side of Flin Flon,' it said. The city added that fire protection, including sprinklers, have been set up and firefighters are working to protect property. Provincial fire officials said evacuations have been completed at First Nations at Pukatawagan and Cross Lake. In northern Alberta, approximately 1,300 residents of the town of Swan Hills were allowed to return to their homes Thursday, about a week after fleeing from a wildfire. But about 340 kilometres west in the County of Grande Prairie, people in the Municipal District of Opportunity were ordered out. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025. — With files from Steve Lambert in Winnipeg
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wildfire evacuation underscores need for Red Dress Alert system
Opinion The grassroots organization Giganawenimaanaanig released an interim report this week on the progress of the proposed Red Dress Alert, an initiative that would notify the public and help co-ordinate responses when an Indigenous woman, girl, or two-spirit person goes missing. Similar to an Amber Alert, which is issued when a child goes missing, the program responds to the calls for justice in the national inquiry on murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls and the parliamentary motion put forward by Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan in 2023 to create the initiative. After receiving unanimous support in Parliament, a $1.3-million fund was established to research and make recommendations on how the program could be implemented nationally. Manitoba stepped up to take the lead. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Giganawenimaanaanig called on all governments to implement the Red Dress Alert program by early- to mid-2026. After consulting with 29 urban, rural, and First Nations and Métis communities throughout Manitoba, Giganawenimaanaanig called on all governments to implement the program by early- to mid-2026. 'Every day that the Red Dress Alert is not implemented,' project lead Denise Cook said, 'is a day that someone could go missing.' In the wake of four murders of Indigenous women by a serial killer in Winnipeg, and countless other MMIWG in Manitoba, the value of a Red Dress Alert is obvious. When considered alongside the amount of young women and two-spirit people in the child welfare system, the rise in domestic violence, and a city of Winnipeg police force that called the search for Indigenous female remains at a landfill 'unfeasible,' the initiative is need more than ever. It's needed now, in fact. More than 17,000 evacuees, mostly from northern First Nations, have been displaced owing to wildfires. In excess of 10,000 of them are in hotels or other lodgings in Winnipeg. That means this city has had an influx of thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples — individuals preyed upon by many forces here. It's well-known that when Indigenous peoples are evacuated due to fires, floods, or some other traumatizing disaster, certain considerations in the health, justice, and emergency management systems must take place. For instance, many First Nations are alcohol-free due to a long history of complicated relationships with substance use. This community law is impossible to maintain off-reserve but community leaders combat the issue in other ways: such as by providing extra mental health services, family-building events, and even patrols to support people during their time as refugees. The same could be said about health, justice, and even governance. Simply put, due to a long history of political mistreatment, Indigenous communities require specific considerations when displaced by disasters. The issue of MMIWG2S+ is a disaster, too. Combined with recent fire evacuations, the situation has become critical. All this week, Indigenous social media has been full of individuals working overtime to protect Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples from nefarious forces. 'I'm gathering a crew of helpers this evening,' posted activist Rylee Nepinak of the downtown patrol group Anishiative. 'After speaking to multiple sources (mainly our women), it's clear we need as many boots on the ground watching for any predatory/exploitative signs (and) talk to the kids about safety.' Indigenous leaders are reporting that predators have approached displaced vulnerable individuals online and in person to offer drugs, alcohol, and invite them to 'party' in a private home — where a sexual or physical assault can easily take place. Advocates have created a list of 'safety tips when heading out in Winnipeg' that include: travelling in pairs, informing family and support staff of travel and return plans, and keeping location apps activated on their cellphones. Isabel Daniels, a vulnerable person advocate, warned in a post: 'Nothing is for free: if people are offering FREE substances SAY NO… Please be cautious of the things people are offering, Fentanyl is in a lot of street drugs.' Daniels also posted a dire message: 'People offering you FREE clothing, cellphones and liquor can be human traffickers, ALWAYS SAY NO.' Winnipeg police are joining the fight to educate and keep Indigenous people safe by providing extra officers and visits to evacuee shelters and printing 3,000 pamphlets with emergency contacts and tips to remain safe. Similar situations have been reported in other cities where evacuees are being sheltered, such as Thompson and Brandon. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Community groups have recommended Indigenous families take photos of their female and two-spirit members in case a missing person report needs to be filed. If one didn't know better, one might see the release of the Red Dress Alert interim report, alongside a real-life emergency related to the safety of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals, as a well-planned political move. It isn't. It's evidence the issue is urgent, laid bare right before our very eyes, now more than ever. Red Dress Alert report Niigaan SinclairColumnist Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe and is a columnist at the Winnipeg Free Press. Read full biography 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Collective effort' to protect evacuees
Proactive measures taken by law enforcement and others will help keep vulnerable wildfire evacuees safe while far from home, the grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak said Thursday. 'This initiative will address a lot of the concerns our leadership have — drug trafficking, human trafficking and sexual violence on our women, these are our utmost concerns,' said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee. 'This is a collaborative effort to protect our people, and it takes a collaborative effort to be able to do what we need to do.' Settee made the comments at a Winnipeg Police Service news conference, jointly held with RCMP, where officials discussed what they're doing to ensure evacuees are protected. 'It's all about keeping our people safe,' said Settee. 'We will do it together — we must do it together.' At least 14,000 evacuees, many from northern First Nations, have fled to Winnipeg as wildfires threatened their home communities and the province declared a state of emergency. During past evacuations due to natural disasters, Settee said, First Nations leaders have seen exploitation and predatory behaviour. 'We've heard stories, in previous evacuations, that there are people going around trying to find people to sell drugs to and also trying to apprehend young women,' said Settee. 'This is a proactive approach. Winnipeg police community engagement Supt. Bonnie Emerson said measures include police liaison teams going to shelters and hotels daily to have conversations with evacuees and service providers, planning safety forums at the sites, and setting up a phone number for evacuees to call. Provincial officials understand there can be 'risks and challenges' in congregate shelters, Natural Resources Minister Lisa Naylor said at a briefing at the legislature Thursday. She said the province has partnered with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership to increase patrols downtown and is working with the Red Response Team on 'proactive intervention, de-escalation and social supports.' 'These are cultural advisers who go to the sites where the evacuees are staying and provide cultural activities for children and youth,' Naylor added. The minister said the province is working with MKO to bring in First Nation safety officers to provide support. Indigenous security companies have mobilized to assist, said Settee. The grand chief also hopes for increased resources to support the mental and emotional well-being of evacuees. The city police service stood up its emergency response operations centre and has put more cruiser cars out on the road in case of an uptick in calls for service, said WPS Insp. John Lutz, a major incident response team commander. There hasn't been a big jump in emergency calls to date, said Lutz, adding officers have dispatched to about 70 calls for service at shelters and hotels since last week. Police would not reveal further details of those calls for service, but Emerson said she's not aware of any charges being laid to date in connection with incidents at evacuee centres. City police have also logged about 167 'proactive engagements' in the area of shelters, which has included keeping an eye on parking lots and conducting traffic enforcement. Elsewhere in the province, Mounties have deployed extra officers in communities in its jurisdiction where evacuees have fled to, said RCMP Insp. Catherine Light. Those Mounties have been conducting walkthroughs of evacuation centres and hotels, doing extra patrols, and speaking with evacuees about their concerns, said Light. 'We're all here to help… don't be afraid to speak up,' said Light. — with files from Chris Kitching Erik PinderaReporter Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik. Every piece of reporting Erik 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.
