Stikine MLA Nathan Cullen has called on RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki to review police action in the arrest of two of his constituency members in northwest B.C. in November.
In the letter sent to the RCMP top cop in Ottawa, Cullen asked about the RCMP鈥檚 鈥渆nforcement behaviour鈥� while referring to a 鈥渄isturbing鈥� video in which two young men were arrested with 鈥渦ndue force鈥� last month near the New Hazelton rail tracks.
The Stikine MLA, who is also a junior provincial minister of state for land and natural operations, said that while The Police Act, RSBC 1996 provides authority at the 鈥渉ighest level鈥� for provincial officials to ensure an adequate and effective level of policing resources, it also gives them the authority to hold the police accountable for their actions during the course of their duties.
鈥淚 request that you [Lucki] personally review actions referenced in this letter while considering what actions might be constituted as necessary during enforcement actions addressing civil disobedience鈥� he wrote in the Dec. 3 letter.
Cullen鈥檚 letter came after he was served an eviction by Hazelton by hereditary chiefs of the Gitxsan Huwilp Government on Nov. 26, owing to his inaction and failure to protect his constituents from the 鈥渁rmed RCMP.鈥� The chiefs were referring to the arrests of two Gtixsan men who were arrested on Nov.21, near the railway line while protesting in solidarity with the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n pipeline opponents near Houston.
Cullen told the Terrace Standard that he had not yet received a response from Lucki鈥檚 office.
The RCMP Commissioner鈥檚 office has also yet to respond to Black Press Media鈥檚 request for comment.
Meanwhile, Cullen met with the Gitxsan hereditary chiefs who evicted him in two separate meetings last week.
Cullen鈥檚 eviction notice has not been rescinded yet, said the Gitxsan Huwilp Government in an email statement, but they said that they have seen the letter sent to the RCMP commissioner.
鈥淣athan has agreed to help find capacity funding to support the Gitxsan鈥檚 work with the RCMP,鈥� said a spokesperson for the Gitxsan Huwilp Government adding that the MLA requested a proposal that they will be submitting within 10 days. This document and plan will address a proper protocol for RCMP to address blockades and injunctions, they said.
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