RELATIONSHIP BUILDING PROTOCOL BETWEEN THE ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE Referred to as the “Parties” PREAMBLE b) provide copies of this Protocol to all national, regional, divisional and local RCMP offices and detachments; c) work with the AFN to respond to public safety crisis situations; d) seek the advice of the AFN in relation to of the development and communication of recruiting, retention and advancement strategies for First Nations individuals; e) seek the advice of the AFN in relation to the development and delivery of cultural awareness and anti-discrimination training regarding police interactions with First Nations people; and, f) work with the AFN to identify specific issues, priorities and objectives on an annual basis and to develop work plans to achieve these objectives and priorities. WHEREAS ensuring the safety and security of all people in First Nations communities (and in other territories where the RCMP provides policing services) without discrimination is a shared concern of First Nations and of the RCMP; WHEREAS the RCMP provides policing services to many First Nations; WHEREAS many First Nations’ governments may require and seek RCMP assistance when public safety crises arise; WHEREAS reconciliation and relationship building are shared objectives and will require appropriate action and cooperation consistent with the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada; 6.0 OPERATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS THEREFORE, the Parties intend as follows: 6.1 The AFN National Chief and RCMP Commissioner will meet at least two times per year to discuss priorities and evaluate the effectiveness of this Protocol in meeting its objectives. 6.2 Where a public safety crisis or dispute arises, the Commissioner and the National Chief may contact one another to discuss the matter in accordance with this Protocol. 6.3 Where a public safety crisis situation arises in a First Nations community to which the RCMP provides policing services and there is no regional Public Safety Cooperation Protocol in place: 1.0 PURPOSE OF THE PROTOCOL 1.1 The purpose of this Protocol is: a) to promote relationship building and cooperation in policing matters between interested First Nations and the RCMP where mutually desired; b) to provide mechanisms for interested First Nations to work with the RCMP on issues of public safety within their communities as they may see fit; c) to develop strategies to jointly identify and address as effectively as possible incidents and issues of discrimination in RCMP policing services. 2.0 SCOPE AND LEGAL EFFECT 2.1 Nothing in this protocol has any binding legal effect. 2.2 For greater certainty, nothing in this protocol binds any First Nation or First Nation government. 3.0 JOINT COMMITMENTS 3.1 The Parties will be guided by a joint commitment to: a) ensure public safety and the safety and security of all persons in Canada without discrimination; b) promoting respect for the fundamental rights of First Nations as nations, peoples, communities and individuals; c) the peaceful resolution of public safety crises and disputes wherever possible; d) the development of strategies to facilitate healing and reconciliation between First Nations communities and the RCMP; e) the development of appropriate recruiting strategies for First Nations individuals who may be interested in the RCMP as a career of choice; f) First Nations involvement in the continued development of cultural awareness and anti-discrimination training to members of the RCMP; and g) support action to address the safety and security of Indigenous women and girls. 4.0 THE ROLE OF THE ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS 4.1 The AFN agrees to: a) work with the RCMP to effectively identify and address issues of discrimination affecting First Nations-RCMP relations; b) provide copies of the protocol to all First Nations in Canada; c) work with the RCMP to respond to public safety crisis situations; d) assist the RCMP, where appropriate and at the request of a First Nation community, by providing contact information and facilitating communicating with the leadership of specific First Nations for the purpose of appropriately diffusing and resolving public safety crisis situations; e) provide advice on the RCMP’s recruiting, retention and advancement strategies for First Nations people, as appropriate; f) provide advice in relation to cultural awareness and anti-discrimination training regarding police interactions with First Nations people; and, g) identify specific issues, priorities and objectives on an annual basis and to develop work plans to achieve these objectives and priorities. 5.0 THE ROLE OF THE RCMP 5.1 The RCMP agrees to: a) work with the AFN to effectively identify and address issues of discrimination affecting First Nations-RCMP relations; a) the RCMP will as soon as possible notify the AFN CEO of the public safety crisis situation, and the Parties will discuss appropriate strategies to diffuse, manage and resolve the public safety crisis; b) upon resolution of a public safety crisis situation, the Participants will convene a meeting to discuss lessons learned from diffusion, management and resolution strategies employed to resolve the public safety crisis situation. 6.4 Where there is a regional Public Safety Cooperation Protocol in place between an AFN regional office and the RCMP, the Participants acknowledge that the arrangements stipulated under the regional protocol will prevail. 7.0 GENERAL PROVISIONS 7.1 This Protocol is without prejudice to any legal positions of either Party. 7.2 On or before 15th June of each year, the Parties will assign staff to prepare a joint report for submission to the Commissioner of the RCMP and the National Chief of the AFN, which sets out issues, priorities, objectives and initiatives being jointly undertaken pursuant to the Protocol, together with a report on the effectiveness of the Protocol in addressing public safety issues in First Nations communities. 8.0 DURATION 8.1 The Protocol shall take effect from the date that it is signed by the Participants and shall remain in effect for three years, unless terminated in accordance with section 8.2. 8.2 Either Participant may terminate their involvement in this Protocol by providing ten (10) days written notice to the other Party. THE PARTIES HAVE SIGNED THIS PROTOCOL ON THIS 12th DAY OF JULY, 2016 IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. For the Assembly of First Nations ___________________________________________________ National Chief Perry Bellegarde For the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ___________________________________________________ Commissioner Bob Paulson