FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jenny Kwan Demands Accountability Following "Jaw-Dropping" Revelations of RCMP Surveillance of Indigenous Leaders
The recent media reports about the RCMP’s so-called “Native extremism program” are deeply troubling, not just as a matter of history, but for what they say about Canada’s institutions and their racist relationship with Indigenous peoples. What these documents show is not targeted security work against credible threats, but a sweeping, intrusive campaign that treated legitimate political advocacy as something to be monitored, controlled, and even disrupted. It is jaw-dropping to hear about Intelligence dossiers stuffed with documents, wiretaps. paid informants, covert operatives with code numbers. Dozens of First Nations leaders were put under surveillance.
Indigenous leaders and organizations were engaged in lawful, democratic efforts—advocating for land rights, self-determination, and fair treatment. To label that as “extremism” reflects a profoundly biased and colonial mindset. The scale of surveillance—wiretaps, informants, and infiltration into private spaces—raises serious concerns about violations of basic civil liberties, including privacy, freedom of association, and political expression. It also begs the question of the extent of surveillance today by the Canadian government of legitimate political advocacy by Indigenous activists and organizations.
Equally concerning is the intent behind the intelligence gathering. These were not just passive observations; the files were used to divide movements, withdraw funding, and interfere with organizing. That crosses a line from intelligence into active political interference.
This history matters today because trust in public institutions remains fragile in many Indigenous communities. When the state is seen to have weaponized its power in this way, it leaves a lasting legacy of suspicion and harm. With the Carney governments new Bill C-22, we once again see the hallmarks of government overreach.
I'm calling today on the Minister of Public Safety to release all the remaining files on this issue and commit to holding public hearings with witnesses on these disturbing revelations so that Indigenous communities can have accountability for the harms that have been done by Canadian law enforcement and security agencies.
