Federal Court of Canada Certifies Class Action for Systemic Mistreatment of Indigenous Individuals by RCMP

TORONTO, June 23, 2021 /CNW/ - The Federal Court certified a class action against the Federal government on behalf of Indigenous people in the Territories who were wrongfully arrested, detained or held in custody by the RCMP. The case concerns allegations of systemic negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and breaches of sections 7 and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The claim is brought on behalf of "all Aboriginal persons who allege they were assaulted at any time while being held in custody or detained by RCMP Officers in the Territories, and were alive as of December 18, 2016".

The Federal Court's certification decision stands as a landmark decision with this being the first case involving systemic racism in policing to be certified in Canada.

"We are very pleased with the Federal Court's decision to certify this case. It represents an important step in holding the RCMP accountable for its systemic failures relating to indigenous peoples in the North" says James Sayce, a partner at Koskie Minsky LLP, who was appointed class counsel.  

"This is an important case that reflects historical and ongoing discriminatory practices by people in uniform toward the indigenous population of Canada's three Territories" says Steven Cooper of Cooper Regel, co-class counsel.

SOURCE Koskie Minsky LLP