Two years after her daughter is murdered by the police during a wellness check, Martha Martin remains steadfast in her mission of justice and police reform.
fatal shooting of Chantelle Moore It has “wakened up a nation,” she explained, drawing attention to racism in justice and policing, and the crisis of violence against indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people.
“You may have silenced my daughter, but I will continue to be a voice for her and for all those who have lost their lives,” Martin said on Monday. first nations assembly Annual General Assembly in Vancouver.
“I’m so tired of hearing recommendation after recommendation and we don’t see any action.”
Moore, 26, was killed by a police officer in Edmonston on June 4, 2020, after she walked towards him with a knife during a health checkup. The Tla-o-qui-aht woman had recently moved from Port Alberni, BC to northwestern New Brunswick city, to be closer to her daughter.
Last month, jury investigation into New Brunswick coroner’s shooting termed his death a murder, However, a New Brunswick Police Commission of Inquiry had previously cleared the officer who killed him of any wrongdoing and that no charges would be brought against him.
“Where do we go when the people who help us are killing us?” asked Chief Constance Big Eagle, chair of the AFN’s Council of Women, at Monday’s press conference.
AFN members will present two resolutions at the annual general meeting on Tuesday.
Support for Moore’s family and the first call for the implementation of 231 Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The second calls for support for sustainable funding and accountability for the implementation of those appeals.
“Calls tell us that the foundation of transformative change is establishing the right relationship. We can’t wait for this new relationship to arrive five to 10 years from now,” said Women’s Representative for BC AFN, Wimexx Louisa Housty-Jones he said.
“Society must come to terms with the fact that colonial systems and policies and justice are functioning as they were designed – as tools to aid in the destruction of indigenous peoples’ systems of governance, culture, and families, and we To remove from our territories.”
St. Louis St. Mary First Nation Sacome (Chief) Alan Polchies Jr. And Oromocto First Nation Chief Shelley Sabatis joins Martin, Houstie-Jones and Big Eagle in calling for substantial police reform in New Brunswick.
He called for strict crime scene protocol, including stricter rules for the handling of evidence and police presence at the scene of incidents involving the officer. He also called for contacts to communicate with families and communities where indigenous peoples are concerned.
He urged the NB government, again, to launch a public inquiry into systemic racism against indigenous peoples in criminal justice and policing. Premier Blaine Higgs has denied multiple calls for such an investigation since Moore’s death, saying existing recommendations from previous reports and investigations into discrimination against indigenous peoples could be implemented.
Global News has contacted Higgs’ office for comment on the news.
Martin is raising Moore’s daughter, Gracie, who is now eight years old. She said that she wants her grandson to grow up in a world free of racism and violence.
“She hears the siren, that little girl will hide under a table. Tell me it’s normal for an eight-year-old. She sees a cop, she will hide behind you. She trembles,” Martin said. Said shedding tears.
“When they say serve and protect, whom are they really serving and protecting? It feels like a complete service and protecting itself. ,
Shortly after Moore was killed, Martin’s 23-year-old son, Mike Martin, died by suicide while in police custody in Surrey, BC in November 2020. Martin said she is “completely” committed to changing a system that repeatedly fails indigenous peoples. ,
“There is always a way. We never get stuck,” she said of repeated claims that comprehensive police reform is too complicated or costly to implement.
Houstie-Jones echoed Martin’s comments, saying that the provinces – including B.C. – are “rich” with reform recommendations but have little to show for it. He said police forces and governments must address the “institutionalized lack of will that leads to violence”.
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