In the 1970s, Bruce Flamont was well aware of being under police surveillance, noting the presence of police vehicles near his home and workplace. He also recognized individuals within or closely associated with his organization who were deliberately providing information to law enforcement. Reflecting on this period during an interview at his Saskatoon residence, Flamont acknowledged his inherent suspicion, shaped by his experiences in the ’60s and ’70s. He emphasized that his cautious demeanor was justified given the circumstances.
Recently declassified documents shed light on a dark chapter in Canadian history, revealing the extensive monitoring and infiltration of legitimate Indigenous organizations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) during the Cold War era. Concerned about the potential subversive or violent nature of Indigenous rights movements, the Mounties employed tactics such as paid informants, wiretaps, and physical surveillance. They were particularly wary of influences from communist groups, Black Power activists, and militant Indigenous organizations in the United States.
Among the organizations targeted by police surveillance were the Métis Society of Saskatchewan and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, predecessors to today’s Métis Nation—Saskatchewan and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. Flamont played a pivotal role in organizing the Métis community, serving as the recording secretary at the inaugural meeting of the Métis Society of Saskatchewan in the 1960s and later becoming its CEO during much of the 1970s. The Métis advocacy efforts at the time encompassed various issues such as employment, housing, education, social services, hunting rights, and timber rights, amidst pervasive racism and economic disenfranchisement.
Flamont’s involvement in several events that were documented in the RCMP files, including a sit-in at the provincial legislature in Regina in June 1974 and a blockade at Waskesiu during a premier’s meeting in August 1978, underscored the extent of police monitoring. Despite being aware of informants within their ranks, Flamont and his associates strived to distinguish between radicals, sellouts, and steadfast supporters.
The RCMP’s focus on Indigenous political activities intensified after a non-violent occupation of the Department of Indian Affairs in Ottawa by 200 youth activists in 1973. This event prompted the Mounties to ramp up their human intelligence operations within Indigenous communities. Clem Chartier, a prominent Métis leader who participated in the Ottawa occupation, later assumed leadership roles at provincial and national levels. Chartier acknowledged some elements of truth in the RCMP’s concerns about radicalization but expressed skepticism about being personally surveilled.
Reflecting on the RCMP files, Chartier highlighted the pressing socio-economic challenges faced by Indigenous communities and emphasized the importance of addressing these underlying issues to prevent radicalization. He underscored the need for government action to address land rights, self-governance, and self-determination to mitigate the conditions conducive to radical movements.
The revelations from the declassified documents have prompted a reexamination of Canada’s past surveillance practices, raising questions about the impact on Indigenous rights movements and the need for reconciliation and redress.