HQ Magazine
OACP Online Media Hub
Install App?
HQ Magazine
oacp.fthinker.ca
This is how the Install App dialog will look like once your App goes live.
ISN Maskwa, an indigenous company owned by Missanabie Cree First Nation incorporated in November of 2020, has created Canada’s first operational Indigenous Emergency Operations Centre (IEOC) which is based in Sault Ste. Marie. The IEOC has been operating 24/7 since April 2022.
One of the primary missions of ISN Maskwa is to assist indigenous communities in building trained teams of leaders and community support personnel to support an Indigenous-led response during evacuations or community emergencies. The leadership teams have been trained using the IMS (Incident Management System) model to levels 300 and 400.
On August 23, 2022, the IEOC had its first operational deployment request. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) requested ISN Maskwa to assist First Nation and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) in assessing the security operations in remote nursing stations in Northern Ontario. It was believed that the ongoing nursing shortage in Ontario was causing tensions between community members and medical staff working in remote communities.
The IEOC was activated and within 48 hours, supervisors and trained community support personnel were deployed to five remote communities. By September 11, 2022 and despite transportation and accommodation challenges, assessments and additional security support were completed. Many lessons were learned and the IEOC proved it had the robustness and flexibility to work with Indigenous communities on short notice. Health care is a priority as well as treaty rights; this deployment showed Indigenous communities that FNIHB is committed to ensuring they get the health care workers they need.
The objective of the IEOC is to make emergency response as effective and accessible to Indigenous communities as possible. Indigenous leaders who see it as a viable alternative to the traditional emergency responses will make the choice based on their own community needs.
Past “After Action Reports” following fire and flood seasons consistently had a theme from Indigenous leaders. They expressed frustration with the lack of consultation and their inability to provide their input as to what was best for their people.
Depending on the urgency and scope of the emergency, the initial consultation sometimes had to take a backseat to the need to move the communities to safety. A lot of the frustration expressed came from the situation after the communities were on the ground in the host community. The solutions to the challenges faced by Indigenous people displaced from their homes in a host community were expensive and often done with little regard to the evacuated.
Using the knowledge and leadership of the effected communities allows the IEOC to ensure an Indigenous-led response to reduce the stress and trauma of evacuations. The majority of the leadership of the IEOC are members of Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario and are composed of retired police officers and community leaders. They are familiar with the Indigenous communities they are working with and know the conditions on the ground.
The IEOC will reduce the time spent on all partners calls that so many of us in emergency management are familiar with. They will accomplish this by engaging the effected community’s leadership and forwarding the requests for assistance to responding provincial and federal agencies. This, in turn, will assist provincial and federal emergency managers to have more efficient communications with Indigenous communities during critical times.
By utilizing the IEOC, Indigenous leaders will have a direct input into managing emergences in their own communities. They will have faster response to any queries they have and an enhanced flexibility in their decision making based on those responses. Their point-of-contact will be other Indigenous leaders with similar backgrounds and points-of-view.
The Indigenous Emergency Operations Centre is a long overdue initiative and an idea whose time has come. The IEOC team looks forward to building relationships and helping to bring great leaders together for a common purpose: Safe “unexpected gatherings” in emergent situations, led by Indigenous communities for Indigenous communities and working with host communities for the best possible outcomes.
For more information or to contact the IEOC visit https://www.isn-maskwa.ca/.
![[object Object]](https://cdn.magloft.com/pwa-196/article/image/0a5676cf-936f-4c54-aeca-93539a0659fe.png?optimizer=image&width=360&aspect_ratio=3:4)
Introducing the PRF-R for Policing: A New Era of Precertification Testing
On June 1, 2024, a new chapter began in Ontario’s approach to police recruitment with the launch of the Personality Research Form – Revised (PRF-R) for Policing. Developed by SIGMA Assessment Systems in partnership with TNT Justice Consultants and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP),
![[object Object]](https://cdn.magloft.com/pwa-196/article/image/e9d08204-9ae0-47cf-a3b8-e3143c452540.png?optimizer=image&width=360&aspect_ratio=3:4)
Understanding Personal Leadership Strengths
Ironically, not understanding your strengths can amplify your weaknesses by leading you to hold back when the potential for your impact is greatest. This problem is compounded by the premium we tend to put on humility. For fear of coming across as arrogant, we hold back even more, but the result can be that we leave important opportunities for serving others on the table.
![[object Object]](https://cdn.magloft.com/pwa-196/article/image/1e87be94-d2ee-4330-b25f-47880ae30153.png?optimizer=image&width=360&aspect_ratio=3:4)
What We Can Learn in Policing from Wildfires
I had trouble figuring out where to begin this year’s renewed version of the Police Leadership Program. The challenge was too many options. The leadership issues in policing today range all the way, for example, from community mental health to organizational budgeting to technical skill development.
![[object Object]](https://cdn.magloft.com/pwa-196/article/image/be03f632-1fc6-43ce-afe3-6a83042ec321.png?optimizer=image&width=360&aspect_ratio=3:4)
The Complexity of Police Leadership
Yet leadership effectiveness is, simply put, about people understanding people. It is a skillset that can be learned, and that depends quite simply on leaders investing in themselves. With social-scientific discoveries, self-awareness, and powers of observation and communication, leaders can pull others together around a common goal. Among others, the below three skill sets help to get you there:
![[object Object]](https://cdn.magloft.com/pdf-import/1072/images/img_6-1.jpg?optimizer=image&width=360&aspect_ratio=3:4)
The Leadership Imperative: Leader development in Ontario
Modern policing is complex. Whether mediating a dispute or managing a crisis, it’s a job that not only requires a deep understanding of the law and society, but also the ability to lead with confidence and compassion.
1
What We Can Learn in Policing from Wildfires
I had trouble figuring out where to begin this year’s renewed version of the Police Leadership Program. The challenge was too many options. The leadership issues in policing today range all the way, for example, from community mental health to organizational budgeting to technical skill development.
2
The Complexity of Police Leadership
Yet leadership effectiveness is, simply put, about people understanding people. It is a skillset that can be learned, and that depends quite simply on leaders investing in themselves. With social-scientific discoveries, self-awareness, and powers of observation and communication, leaders can pull others together around a common goal. Among others, the below three skill sets help to get you there:
3
Countering Incivility, Harassment, and Discrimination in Policing
Creating a workplace environment that is inclusive, respectful, and free from harassment and discrimination is an ongoing priority for ontario police services. However, services face systemic challenges in their efforts to prevent these negative behaviours, effectively address them, and change their culture.
4
The Leadership Imperative: Leader development in Ontario
Modern policing is complex. Whether mediating a dispute or managing a crisis, it’s a job that not only requires a deep understanding of the law and society, but also the ability to lead with confidence and compassion.
5
THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP IN POLICING
Under the leadership of Chief Jim MacSween, the executive leadership team at York Regional Police (YRP) established a mission to re-imagine leadership development within the organization. YRP knew that standardizing leadership principles and delivering them to all ranks of the organization would enrich the development of ethical and professional leaders.
6
Connect, Lead, Inspire
As policing leaders, there are key elements to consider when it comes to developing outstanding organizations. Opening conference keynote presenter Tanya McCready of the Winterdance Dogsled Tour and author of Journey of 1000 Miles opened the conference with a timely message: time, dedication, trust, and practice are key elements to leadership, as well as ensuring that leaders know their team and where they thrive best.
