There are renewed calls in New Brunswick for an Indigenous-led inquiry into systemic racism in the justice system after the death of a Neqotkuk First Nation man who was shot by RCMP.
Police said Monday that officers responded to a “domestic dispute” at a residence on Main Street at the First Nation on Sunday evening.
“As the situation quickly evolved, a man armed with an edged weapon advanced towards members,” the statement said.
RCMP said a conducted energy weapon, commonly known as a Taser, was deployed “ineffectively” and an officer shot at the man.
First aid was administered at the scene, but the man, who has been identified as Bronson Paul by friends and family, later died in hospital.
“He was a good father. He had six children, so he was a friend to almost everyone in the community, and he’s going to be missed,” said Chief Ross Perley of Neqotkuk First Nation.
“This is another situation of police killing Indigenous people.”
Representatives of the Wolastoqey and Mi’gmaq communities in New Brunswick are demanding action in the form of an Indigenous-led inquiry into systemic racism.
Since the police killings of Chantal Moore and Rodney Levi in 2020, Indigenous communities have been calling for such an inquiry.
Their deaths prompted a 2022 report on systemic racism.
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Last Friday, the province shared its first official response to that report, saying it was creating a new anti-racism office. However, the province did not commit to moving ahead with key recommendations related to racism in policing.
A statement from Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc. (MTI), which represents Mi’gmaq communities in the province, said the response clearly failed to address many of their initial concerns.
“It remains clear that if our justice system is going to become more equitable for all, we need an Indigenous-led public inquiry on systemic racism in New Brunswick’s justice system,” the organization said Friday.
On Tuesday, the group offered their condolences to Paul’s family and reiterated their stance.
“A disproportionate number of police-involved deaths have involved Indigenous people, pointing to systemic racism within policing and the broader justice system. Despite years of advocacy from First Nations leaders, the conditions that put Indigenous people at greater risk have not been meaningfully addressed,” they wrote.
“MTI supports the calls from First Nations leadership for transparent and independent investigations, Indigenous involvement in oversight and decision-making, and concrete reforms that protect the safety and rights of Indigenous peoples.”
Perley said an Indigenous-led inquiry must take place, and believes that if one had taken place earlier, it would have made a difference.
“An inquiry may have triggered actions and changes to the system that could prevent these types of situations,” he said.
“Solutions are there, if the federal and provincial government want to change these statistics, the chiefs are there to help.”
Those calls are also being amplified by New Brunswick Green Party Leader David Coon.
“Clearly nothing has changed,” he said.
“I would have expected that the premier, when she was elected, would have called, instituted the inquiry into systemic racism right off the bat.”
Premier Susan Holt declined an interview with Global News about the shooting for the second day in a row.
The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT), an independent police oversight agency, is investigating the shooting.
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