Canada's RCMP Faces Legal Battle Over Historical Abuse Case

0:00The federal government is pushing back hard against the Canadian human rights tribunal ruling that slapped the RCMP with compensation payouts for. Mishandling a historical sexual abuse investigation in Burns Lake, British Columbia. Last month, the Tribunal awarded $7,500 plus interest to complainants from the Lake Babine First Nation and their estates, plus four witnesses who spoke up. It also ordered the Mounties to overhaul their policies, training, and practices for dealing with indigenous folks reporting old abuse cases. This all stems from a 2017 complaint about alleged abuse by a schoolteacher and coach back in the 1960s and 70s at a day, school there. The Tribunal kept the teacher's name under wraps, and sadly, three out of the four original complainants passed away before the hearing wrapped up in. May 2023. Things like Dorothy Williams, who testified as a day school survivor, highlighted the discrimination they face from police during the probe.

1:01The decision spotlighted how RCMP interactions with indigenous complainants in the sensitive historical cases can fall short, leaving real scars on. Community still healing from that era. Now, the Attorney General of Canada has filed a court application arguing the Tribunal overstepped. They say it's not the right place for gripping about police investigations, since those are considered a service under the Canadian Human Rights Act. This legal tussle could reshape how discrimination claims against the RCMP get handled moving forward, especially for indigenous historical abuse. Survivors waiting for justice. From your city, powered by AI, this is Vancouver News Today.