GUYSBOROUGH — One of Nova Scotia’s prominent black elders and Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) Councillor Mary Desmond is calling the RCMP’s long-awaited apology to African Nova Scotians and Nova Scotians of African descent for its use of street checks and other harmful interactions “welcome, overdue and necessary.”
In an interview following the statement Sept. 7 from Nova Scotia RCMP Commanding Officer and Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, Desmond told The Journal, “I am glad that he came out strong with a message, that he used the word ‘racism’, that he didn’t hold back and that he came with an action plan.”
The hour-long apology that commenced at 1 p.m. from the North Preston Community Centre in Halifax Regional Municipality – and live streamed on YouTube, and to specific locations across the province, including the Tracadie United Baptist Church Hall in Monastery — acknowledged and renounced the RCMP’s historically “disrespectful” behaviour towards members of Nova Scotia’s Black community.
Daley said, “This apology is long overdue... It’s taken so long for you to be heard... I am deeply sorry for the harm caused... I recognize that without action, this apology is hollow... We’ve been able to come to you today with a plan and a genuine commitment to change. The action plan is informed by our community consultations during which I heard, and I quote, ‘it takes a village to raise a child,’ and the RCMP are part of that village. We are one community.”
The five-point plan starts with ensuring that Nova Scotia RCMP employees are educated about the history, culture and contributions of African Nova Scotians.
“This is an important step in educating them about systemic and anti-Black racism,” he said.
Second, is “to establish, and in many communities continue to maintain, a relationship between detachment commanders, community leaders and African Nova Scotian affairs programs officers. These relationships prove a more direct path of communication with the communities we serve.”
Third, is “to increase recruitment and retention of people of African descent, racialized and underrepresented persons within the RCMP. It’s important to ensure that our workforce, not just our policies and procedures, represents the diversity of all people we serve.”
Fourth, is “to support the RCMP national anti-racism unit, which is in the pilot stages of race-based data collection, for the RCMP... The RCMP is taking a clear stand against all forms of racism and discrimination, both in the workplace and the delivery of police services.”
And fifth, he said, is “to report on our progress on these actions. We are continuing to hold meetings with the steering committee twice a year, and we are eager to maintain the partnerships that have grown out of this process. This keeps us accountable.”
Desmond, who provided a traditional African Nova Scotia libation prior to the RCMP statement, was one of many leading members of the province’s African Nova Scotian community who attended in person.
“What I liked very much was the education part – each detachment actually getting to know the community members and the community at large, attending our historical and cultural events,” she told The Journal. “In the past, when the RCMP talked about participation, they would arrive in their Red Serge [uniforms] and stand. To me, that is not participating.”
Desmond said the apology was also a good opportunity to reflect on RCMP relations in Guysborough County, which, she emphasized, are “not as bad” as they have been in the province’s urban centres.
“We have been working hard with the Guysborough detachment, and the rapport is very good. We meet on a regular basis. The detachment gives articles to the African Nova Scotia community newsletter [here]. They attend our seniors’ monthly events. They are on the board of our African Heritage Fund... There is still work to be done here, and I’m hoping that we will continue to do that work.”
