Question Period Note: Coerced Sterilization of Indigenous Women

The RCMP’s efforts related to allegations of coerced or forced sterilization of Indigenous women.

• Contributing to safer and healthier Indigenous communities is a key priority of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and protecting all Canadians from criminal activity is of utmost importance.

• The RCMP takes all reported allegations of criminal activity very seriously, including forced or coerced sterilization.

• It is important that any evidence of criminal activity be reported to the police of jurisdiction where offences are alleged to have taken place so that they can be properly investigated.

• Ultimately, any investigation into an allegation falls under the mandate of the local police force of jurisdiction where the offense occurred.

• The RCMP is committed to achieving reconciliation with Indigenous communities and partners through a renewed relationship built on recognition of rights, respect, mutual trust, cooperation, and partnership.

The RCMP Commissioner received a letter dated February 21, 2019, from Mr. Don Davies, M.P. and NDP Health Critic, which recommended that the RCMP “…immediately initiate an investigation into all allegations of forced or coerced sterilizations in Canada and lay appropriate charges against those responsible for committing them”.

The RCMP Commissioner responded to Mr. Davies with a letter dated March 20, 2019, which generated media coverage of the Commissioner’s response and the RCMP’s efforts related to the issue of forced or coerced sterilization. A preliminary search did not identify allegations of forced or coerced sterilization having been reported to the RCMP. A subsequent more in-depth search identified four (4) occurrences of forced or coerced sterilization of Indigenous women that were reported to the RCMP. Three (3) of the occurrences were RCMP assistance files by having the allegations brought to the attention of the appropriate police of jurisdiction where the occurrences were reported to have taken place.

In 2015, some Indigenous women in Saskatchewan reported that they had been forced or coerced by health professionals and social workers to undergo tubal ligation surgeries (i.e. sterilization).

In 2017, an external review commissioned by the Saskatoon Regional Health Authority (SRHA) was released, providing an analysis of the issue in its geographic region of responsibility.

In October 2017, a class action lawsuit was filed against the Government of Saskatchewan, the federal government, regional health authorities, and individual physicians.

In December 2018, the United Nations Committee against Torture (UNCAT) recommended to Canada that in terms of the “involuntary sterilization of Indigenous women”, all allegations of forced or coerced sterilization be impartially investigated, and that Canada adopt legislative and policy measures to prevent and criminalize the practice (Concluding Observations of the Seventh Periodic Report of Canada, Page 12). As Canada is a State Party to the Convention against Torture, this places international attention and pressure on Canada to address the issue. The RCMP was recently consulted on related input for Canada’s draft report in follow-up to Canada’s appearance before UNCAT.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) voiced immediate support for the UNCAT recommendations, and also passed a national resolution “…at the AFN Special Chiefs Assembly to support the class action claimants of forced sterilization in seeking redress and to advocate for changes to the Criminal Code of Canada to criminalize forced sterilization in Canada”.

On June 18, 2019, Commissioner Lucki appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA), of which Mr. Davies is a Vice-Chair, in relation to its study on Forced Sterilization of Women in Canada. The Commissioner delivered a statement and answered the committee’s questions. In August 2019, the RCMP received a letter addressed to the Ministers of Health, Public Safety and Indigenous Services from HESA outlining the findings of the committee’s study and witness testimony, as well as observations and recommendations. Subsequently, in August 2019, the RCMP contributed to a collaborative letter of response led by Health Canada for submission back to HESA.

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