🚨 RCMP Accountability in Terrace, B.C. – A Call for Justice and Documentation 🚨
Posted by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
On July 23, 2025, an Indigenous Gitxsan woman and firekeeper—who is also autistic—was returning from a sacred fire ceremony near Shames Mountain when she was pulled over by an RCMP Highway Patrol officer near Terrace, B.C.
She had not consumed any alcohol, yet was subjected to a mandatory roadside breathalyzer test. When she questioned it, the officer forcefully pulled her hand, an act that left her frightened and emotionally shaken.
Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. After she bravely shared her experience online, dozens of Indigenous women from the region came forward, reporting eerily similar encounters with the same officer.
📣 Vancouver lawyer Kyla Lee is now urging women—especially Indigenous women in Northern B.C.—to start documenting all police interactions and, if needed, file formal complaints with the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC).
⚠️ Patterns of Abuse: Not New in B.C.
RCMP officers have a long and troubled history of discriminatory policing toward Indigenous people in British Columbia, especially women and youth.
- A 2021 UBC study found that Indigenous women are nearly 10 times more likely to experience police violence than non-Indigenous women in Canada.
- In 2020, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission found that RCMP officers used excessive force in 17% of reviewed cases involving Indigenous people.
- A 2019 Human Rights Watch report documented multiple instances of abuse, neglect, and sexual violence by RCMP officers in northern B.C., particularly affecting First Nations women.
- The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) called the systemic failures of policing in Canada a form of “genocide.”
🔍 5 Reflective Questions
- How would I feel if a loved one—especially someone neurodivergent or Indigenous—was pulled over and frightened by someone in uniform meant to protect them?
- Do I believe mandatory breathalyzer tests are truly random, or could unconscious bias or systemic racism be influencing who gets stopped?
- What role does community documentation play in exposing patterns of abuse or discrimination?
- Am I aware of my rights—and others’ rights—during a police stop, especially in remote or Indigenous territories?
- What actions can I take when someone in my community comes forward with a story of mistreatment? Do I listen, amplify, advocate, or stay silent?
✅ 5 Solutions & Actions
- 📝 Document everything: If you are stopped, record the date, time, location, badge number, and behavior of the officer. If it's safe and legal, record audio or video.
- 📬 File a complaint: Use the CRCC website to submit a formal complaint within one year of the incident: https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en
- 📚 Know your rights: Learn what police can and cannot legally do. Support workshops or community events that teach this knowledge.
- ⚖️ Push for reform: Bill C-46 needs safeguards. Call for trauma-informed training for RCMP, and anti-racism measures in all B.C. police forces.
- 🤝 Stand with survivors: Believe Indigenous women and marginalized voices. Share their stories. Demand better. This is not reconciliation—this is retraumatization.
🧭 Final Thoughts
This is more than a “bad cop” problem. It’s systemic.
When Indigenous women are repeatedly pulled over, questioned, or touched without cause, it's not about law enforcement — it’s about power, profiling, and fear.
Silence only protects abusers. Voices, stories, and action protect communities.
If you’ve had a troubling RCMP encounter—especially in Terrace, Prince Rupert, Kitimat, or surrounding areas—please consider documenting your experience and filing a report. And know this: you are not alone.
📎 Resources
- File a Complaint: https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en
- Legal Info on RCMP Stops (Dial-A-Law BC): https://dialalaw.peopleslawschool.ca/complaints-against-the-rcmp/
- MMIWG Final Report: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/
- Human Rights Watch Report on RCMP Violence: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/22/canada-mounties-abuse-indigenous-women
✍️ In strength, grief, and fierce love,
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
#RCMPAccountability #TerraceBC #IndigenousJustice #Gitxsan #MMIWG #PoliceViolence #BillC46 #UncededTerritory #HumanRights #ReformNow
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.