Indigenous people make up less than five per cent of Canada’s population, yet they account for a staggering 16 per cent of individuals killed in police-involved deaths.
This disparity sheds light on an issue that has persisted for generations: the unjust treatment of Indigenous people by law enforcement in Canada.
In response to this ongoing crisis, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) launched a series in March aimed at uncovering the harsh realities of the racism still prevalent in Indigenous communities.
The series, Inside Policing, shines a spotlight on the systemic racism and failures within Canada’s policing practices that continue to affect Indigenous people to this day.
Cullen Crozier, a producer behind APTN Investigates, said, “With this series, we’re not just reporting on the crisis, we’re exposing the systemic failures that allow it to continue.”
Inside Policing consists of three episodes, each delving into a different facet of the dangerous and often deadly relationship between law enforcement and Indigenous communities.
Every episode takes a hard-hitting, investigative approach to address the challenges and inequalities Indigenous peoples face when interacting with police.
The first episode, “Deadly Force“, aired on March 22 and explored the surface-level issues straining the relationship between First Nations communities and local police forces.
The episode centres on the tragic deaths of 15 Indigenous men and women, who died either due to excessive force or while in police custody in the final months of the previous year.
As Crozier explained, “The demand for justice is growing louder, and we’re committed to amplifying the voices calling for change.”
This episode aims to bring these urgent calls for justice to the forefront, underscoring the need for reforms to end these troubling patterns of violence.
APTN Investigates features skilled Indigenous investigative journalists like Kenneth Jackson and Brittany Guyot, who bring extensive experience and a deep understanding of the issues they cover.
All journalists at the station are dedicated to uncovering stories that go untold, including those of injustices impacting First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities across Canada.
The stories produced by APTN Investigates are not just about shedding light on the injustices faced by Indigenous people, but also about amplifying Indigenous voices and perspectives, offering a platform for those affected to tell their own stories.
APTN’s programming, which can be accessed via its website and streaming service, is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to understand the ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Throughout the series, APTN Investigates explores the historical context of violence against Indigenous peoples, demonstrating how this long history of mistreatment continues to contribute to systemic failures in law enforcement today.
The series aims to provide viewers with a deeper understanding of how the legacy of colonization and discriminatory practices continues to manifest in the actions of police forces across the country.
In the following episodes, the series tackles additional pressing issues, including the severe lack of funding for First Nations policing and the broader question: “Who’s watching the watchers?”
With each episode, APTN Investigates challenges viewers to critically examine the structures of power that allow such injustices to persist and ask what needs to be done to create a system that serves and protects all Canadians.
“We’re hoping to educate the cops. We’re hoping to educate the people that are supposed to oversee the cops and the people who write the laws,” said Paul Barnsley, one of the producers for Inside Policing.
The series presents an in-depth investigation into the state of policing and justice for Indigenous peoples in Canada, highlighting the challenges and issues that need to be addressed.