Native elders have reason to skeptical

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Alberta's Native elders don't want idle promises and false hopes from their people who are forced to bend to Canadian laws. As judicial revelations have unfolded across the nation, their greatest fears have become a reality.

The names of Donald Marshall, Helen Betty Osborne and J.J. Harper all surfaced during the opening day session of the aboriginal policing services conference last week in Edmonton.

The traumatic history of their relationship with the RCMP has given Alberta elders a reason to be skeptical about promises made by the country's police force to strengthen ties.

It's not surprising the elders repeated - and with passion - their position that the RCMP should live up to its original role to protect Native people ad their rights. Over the last 100 years, the country's aboriginal people have seen their brothers and sisters abused and debased by the RCMP.

For Kehewin elder Norbert Jebeault, the spirit of his people was broken long ago and may never be restored.

The RCMP has scarred Native pride and Jebeault feels it's going to take more than annual assurances by police officials to make elders into believers.

"The promise was made (by the Crown) that the RCMP would be given to Native people to watch over them...Those promises were broken a long time ago."

In his address to the conference crowd - which included, among others, the head of the RCMP Norman Inkster - Jebeault pointed out gross human rights offenses toward Native people by constables across the country.

As stories come out revealing atrocious violations of human rights in Canada by the nation's police force, Jebeault said there's no reason for Native people to be trusting until they're convinced.

He referred to an incident in Ontario where RCMP officers were discovered to have 'for Indians only' carved in their night sticks.

"What's wrong with the judicial system?" he challenged. "What's wrong with the police force?"

Jebeault has little confidence in a system that has witnessed his people murdered and raped and has done nothing to stop it.

He's right to be skeptical. Much more has to be done to protect Native people, not punish them.