MPs to hold emergency debate after 6 First Nations deaths by police over 2 weeks

The House of Commons will hold an emergency debate Monday evening after six separate incidents in two weeks where First Nations people were killed by police.

Lori Idlout, MP for Nunavut, requested the debate.

«For decades Indigenous people have been injured, worse yet, died at the hands of the RCMP,» Idlout said in a speech before the House.

The deaths between Aug. 29 and Sept. 8 involved both RCMP and municipal police officers across five provinces.

1. Aug. 29: a Clearwater River Dene Nation man, 31, was struck and killed by RCMP on Highway 909 between Buffalo Narrows and Turnor Lake, Sask.
2. Aug. 30: Hoss Lightning, 15, from Samson Cree Nation was shot by RCMP in Wetaskiwin, Alta., after he called them for help.
3. Sept. 2: Tammy Bateman, from Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation, who was in her 30s, was struck and killed by Winnipeg police in a park.
4. Sept. 6: Jason West, 57, was shot by Windsor police.
5. Sept. 8: A 31-year-old man in Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan was shot by RCMP responding to a call about an assault.
6. Sept. 8: RCMP responding to a call in Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick shot and killed Steven 'Iggy' Dedam, 34.

Police watchdogs are investigating all of the incidents.

Idlout said she and the federal NDP sought the debate to discuss measures that would save Indigenous people's lives.

«No more Indigenous children must lose their father to the barrel of an RCMP gun. No more sisters must be stolen by the RCMP,» she said in her speech.

«No more Indigenous children must get bullet wounds instead of help.»

The emergency debate is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Monday.

'Barrel is definitely rotten'

David Milward, an associate professor of law at the University of Victoria and a member of Beardy's and