March 20, 2024
Ottawa – Indigenous News — A report from Auditor General Karen Hogan tabled today in the House of Commons found that Public Safety Canada did not work in partnership with First Nations and Inuit communities to provide equitable access to policing services that were tailored to their needs.
For its part, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) did not work in partnership with First Nations and Inuit communities to deliver dedicated and tailored policing services that supplemented those provided under agreements with their respective province or territory.
The audit found that $13 million of program funds related to the 2022–23 fiscal year went unspent, which is concerning in the context of a program intended to support the safety of Indigenous communities.
As of October 2023, Public Safety Canada was at risk of not disbursing over $45 million of funds for the 2023–24 fiscal year. In its management of the program, Public Safety Canada did not have an approach to allocate funds equitably to communities. The department explained that it relied on the provinces’ or territories’ readiness to fund their share of the program and on the past funding received by communities to determine the amounts allocated.