Cree woman says she was ignored by Montreal police after assault

A Cree woman from the James Bay region of Northern Quebec has filed a complaint against Montreal police who she says failed to help her after she was punched in the face by a stranger on a downtown street corner.

Jeannie Icebound, originally from Waswanipi, was walking along St. Catherine Street after supper on December 1st, when she says a man walked up and punched her hard enough to knock her off her feet and onto the ground and make her nose bleed. 

After waiting a half an hour for police to arrive, Icebound says officers didn't even get out of their patrol car to come and see her, but told her boyfriend Wayne they had to leave for another emergency before leaving without their sirens on. 

"I see more of that they don't care about aboriginal people," said Icebound. "This is how I felt when the police did not even come to assist me. I felt he did not care about what Aboriginal women go through."

Icebound filed her complaint Monday night with the help of Alan Gull, who is with Native Para-Judicial Services of Quebec. 

"It was unacceptable that the police did not assist her," said Gull. "I don't know why the police responded this way and I feel like they shouldn't have neglected her. And I hope there will be serious consequences for the responding officers."

In June of 2015, the head of Montreal police signed an agreement with the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network to establish an aboriginal committee within the police force, add cultural training and create a liaison position within the force. 

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Icebound say she doesn't trust most police forces in Quebec and says after she returned home had to go to the clinic because her blood pressure was too high from the shock of what happened to her.  

Montreal police say they cannot comment on Icebound's individual case until the investigation is complete.

But Carlo DeAngelis, who is the newly hired aboriginal liaison officer within the force, says they are very committed to improving the trust between aboriginal communities and Montreal police.

"There is always room for improvement," said DeAngelis. "We are very committed and strive to get better every day and build that trust." 

The force has begun working with indigenous communities and has started sensitivity training for its officers.

Gull says it's important not to blame the whole force.

"A lot of the aboriginal entities, they have good working agreements with the SPVM [Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal]," said Gull. "For me myself, I trust the police. I've built a good relationship with them."