September 7, 2024
North Preston, Nova Scotia
Today, Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, Commanding Officer of the Nova Scotia RCMP, apologized to African Nova Scotians and all people of African descent, for our historic use of street checks and other harmful interactions.
"I am deeply sorry for the harm caused by our use of street checks and for interactions with the Nova Scotia RCMP that have had a negative impact on you and your community," said Assistant Commissioner Daley. "I'm sorry to you and your loved ones for how differently potential employers, your family, and your community might have seen you, and even how you might have seen yourself as a result of our actions."
Assistant Commissioner Daley also released an action plan that outlines ways the Nova Scotia RCMP is working to rebuild the fractured relationship with the province's Black community. The commitments include: employee education around African Nova Scotian history and anti-Black racism; ongoing collaboration within Black communities across the province; increasing the number of, and retaining, African Nova Scotians and other racialized employees; supporting race-based data collection to enhance transparency and accountability; and reporting on progress in these areas.
"I recognize that words are hollow without action," said Assistant Commissioner Daley. "We needed time to speak with those affected, and to develop a real understanding of the full impact of street checks. Through these discussions, we've been able to come to you today with a plan, and a genuine commitment to change."
To inform the apology and the action plan, Assistant Commissioner Daley established a steering committee comprised of community members and RCMP employees. The Nova Scotia RCMP's senior leadership team also attended 13 consultation sessions in African Nova Scotian communities across the province.
"Input from these communities, and from the steering committee, have directly informed both this apology and the actions that will follow it. I am so grateful for their guidance, and for their willingness to come to the table to talk and teach," said Assistant Commissioner Daley.
"There is plenty of healing and repair ahead of us," said Assistant Commissioner Daley. "Our hope is that this action plan will lead us where we need to be. We will keep working to make things right, to earn your trust, and to be the fair, respectful, and equitable RCMP that Nova Scotians deserve."
Livestreams of the apology were in hosted in a number of communities, including: Amherst, Digby, Gibson Woods, Greenville, Monastery, New Glasgow, Shelburne and Sydney. Bus service to the North Preston Community Centre was provided from New Glasgow, Truro, Beechville, Hammonds Plains and downtown Halifax.
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Contact information
Corporal Guillaume Tremblay, Public Information Officer
Nova Scotia RCMP
902-830-5695
rcmpns-grcne@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Nova Scotia RCMP's formal apology to African Nova Scotians and People of African Descent
Remarks for Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, Commanding Officer of the Nova Scotia RCMP
September 7, 2024
Check against delivery
Opening
Thank you so much for joining me today, whether you're here in the room, in community halls across the province, or watching the livestream. Thank you to Dr. Bishop, Ms. Eriana Willis-Smith, Reverend Anderson, Elder Mary Desmond, Mrs. Rose Fraser, Ms. Rosella Fraser, Deacon Jonathan Smith, Ms. Andrea Davis, and youth poet laureate Asiah Sparks who will be sharing spoken word later in the program – and thank you to the community of North Preston for welcoming the RCMP here today.
This is apology is long overdue. In my opinion there's no valid reason as to why an apology has not been issue before; we have disrespected your community.
The words I am here to share are for all members of the African Nova Scotian community and people of African Descent across the province. I want to speak directly to you and your families.
Apology
I am deeply sorry for the harm caused by our use of street checks and for interactions with the Nova Scotia RCMP that have had a negative impact on you and your community.
I'm sorry to you and your loved ones for how differently potential employers, your family, and your community might have seen you, and even how you might have seen yourself as a result of our actions, especially for young black males who have been most affected.
I want to acknowledge, and apologize for, the far-reaching impacts of street checks.
During our community visits, you told us: "Our kids are scared" and "Enough is enough. Treat us equally. Harm builds on itself – it starts young."
I'm sorry for the fear and mistrust we've created.
All of your experiences are reinforced by data and evidence from Dr. Scot Wortley, who found that people of African Descent were grossly overrepresented in street check data – a practice that is now banned in Nova Scotia.
You've been speaking about your experiences for years. I am truly sorry it has taken so long for you to be heard. Please know that I am listening and I hear you. We hear you.
This apology has taken far too long to reach you. And I recognize that words are hollow without action. Apologizing was a top priority when I came back to this province as the Commanding Officer. We needed time to speak with those affected, and to develop a real understanding of the full impact of street checks. Through these discussions, we've been able to come to you today with a plan, and a genuine commitment to change.
This action plan is informed by our community consultations, during which I heard, and I quote: "It takes a village to raise a child, and the RCMP are part of that village. We are one community if we want to make a change. We want the same thing the south end or west end gets. The same energy that is given to white communities, it has to be given to Black communities. We need to change the perspective of how we look at each other."
I also heard: "… own what has happened to our Black communities; for our future sons – they need to be safe – don't want to have "the talk" with them when they reach their teens."
Message of thanks
The Nova Scotia RCMP serves 52 African Nova Scotian communities across this province. Since the fall of last year, I have visited 13 of those communities to hear about people's experiences. I want to express my thanks to those who attended our consultations, and to the community anchors, for welcoming me and giving me and members of my senior leadership team the opportunity to listen.
Input from these communities, and from the Steering Committee, has directly informed both this apology and the actions that will follow it. I am so grateful for their guidance, and for their willingness to come to the table to talk and teach.
Through you, and all you've taught me about the Sankofa bird, an important symbol in African culture, I have a greater appreciation of learning from the past to forge a meaningful, collaborative future.
I hope you'll see this reflected in our community-led action plan that grew out of these conversations. This plan outlines the commitments we've made to African Nova Scotian communities, and to all the people we serve across this province.
Commitment
I want to briefly explain the five commitments outlined in the Action Plan, which I hope you were able to pick up at the door today and will be available on our website.
First, we are committed to making sure that Nova Scotia RCMP employees are educated about the history, culture, and contributions of African Nova Scotians. This is an important step in educating them about systemic and anti-Black racism.
This is underway across the country, through mandatory online courses such as United Against Racism and Cultural Awareness and Humility. We are also prioritizing the African Canadian Experience, a 5-day in-person workshop, for senior leaders and those in supervisory positions. The entire RCMP is united in our goal to eliminate systemic racism, which we know exists within the RCMP and is reflected in some of our policies, processes or practices that disadvantage racialized people or groups, and to create a membership that recognizes and stands up to racism.
Our second commitment is to establish, and in many communities continue to maintain, a relationship between Detachment Commanders, community leaders and African Nova Scotian Affairs' program officers. These relationships prove a more direct path of communication with the communities we serve. We hope that ongoing communication will help us to build your trust.
Our third commitment is to increase recruitment and retention of people of African descent, racialized, and underrepresented persons within the RCMP. It's important to make sure that our workforce, not just our policies and procedures, represents the diversity of all the people we serve.
We have several national programs pushing us forward on these goals, including our Diversity, Retention and Employee Awareness Model workshop that is designed to aid in the retention and advancement of diverse and racialized employees within the RCMP; and our Diverse and Inclusive Pre-Cadet Experience program. In addition, we are also holding proactive recruiting sessions within African Nova Scotian communities throughout the province.
Our fourth commitment is to support the RCMP's National Anti-Racism Unit, which is in the pilot stages of race-based data collection for the RCMP. Race-based data collection aims to collect, analyse and report race-based data to better understand the experiences of Indigenous, Black and other racialized individuals and communities in their interactions with RCMP frontline officers. The RCMP is taking a clear stand against all forms of racism and discrimination, both in the workplace and in the delivery of police services. Your Nova Scotia RCMP recognizes the importance of this work to help repair relationships in this province.
Finally, we are committed to report on our progress on these actions. We are continuing to hold meetings with the Steering Committee twice a year, and we are eager to maintain the partnerships that have grown out of this process. This keeps us accountable, because we know that we need to show results.
Many organizations affiliated with the Black community have already shared their input and feedback on the Action Plan, and we're grateful for their continued support. Thank you to all the individuals and organizations that have guided this process. Your voices have been invaluable, and we're eager to keep building on the open and honest conversations that have started.
As an organization, we are working hard to address systemic racism and to overcome it. We are incorporating the lens of diversity and inclusion in our decision making, in our training and in our recruitment. It has allowed us to better understand some of the unintended barriers that exist, and work to correct them.
Closing
There is plenty of healing and repair ahead of us. Our hope is that this Action Plan will lead us where we need to be.
I want to be clear that this process is ongoing and will take time. We will keep working to make things right, to earn your trust, and to be the fair, respectful, and equitable RCMP that Nova Scotians deserve.
I am available immediately after the program is finished to further discuss and listen to community feedback. Staff Sergeant Deceans will provide my remarks in French.
Thank you.