The New Brunswick legislature in Fredericton. (Image: Brad Perry)
The six chiefs of the Wolastoqey Nation say they were very disappointed after meeting with Premier Blaine Higgs and the cabinet on Wednesday.
The chiefs want an independent inquiry to look at systemic bias and racism against Indigenous people in the police and justice systems.
Premier Higgs says he didn’t agree to an inquiry at this time because of previous recommendations.
“Why don’t we look at all of the things that have been done in the past and how many can we implement. How many can we actually make a change and move the bar,” Higgs says.
Aboriginal Affairs minister Jake Stewart had said he wanted an inquiry but agreed with the premier to examine past recommendations.
“I looked at 24 years worth of inquiries and many at the national level – with 797 recommendations – and maybe 20 percent have been implemented in 24 years,” Stewart says.
The two sides have planned to meet again in two weeks.
