Attorney General eager to get to work on new Indigenous Women's Justice Plan
B.C.'s Attorney General says her office is eager to meet with the First Nations Justice Council to go over its recently released Indigenous Women's Justice Plan and collaborate on ways to implement it.
Niki Sharma made the remarks at the First Nations Justice Forum in Vancouver where she highlighted the expansion of Indigenous Justice Centres in smaller communities.
"Those centres are really the front line for serving people that are facing the justice system and in a culturally appropriate way to help break the cycle, give them the supports they need in the justice system and also build up that support in community to hold them,” Sharma said.
The original five IJCs are in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Surrey and Kelowna, but the province has committed to opening a total of 15 in-person centres and one virtual centre by the end of next year.
Many of them will be in less-populated areas so people in need of the services can access them closer to home.
The total investment will be $44 million.
The Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan calls on the provincial and federal governments to make significant changes to policing, the courts, corrections and the child welfare system in an effort to improve the lives of Indigenous women and girls who are drastically over-represented in the criminal justice system compared to the province’s non-Indigenous female population.
Kory Wilson, chair of the BCFNJC says changing the status quo will take a massive effort and investment across a number of government agencies.
"We need help from mental health, we need help from social services, we need help from the K to 12 system, we need to support children in care, we need help from all of these different groups,” Wilson said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lanny McDonald and a few old Flames take the Stanley Cup on a surprise visit to the man who saved his life
The Stanley Cup was passing through town Friday, and Lanny Legend took it upon himself to take it for a surprise visit.
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
Chad Daybell sentenced to death for killing wife and girlfriend’s two children in jury decision
Jurors resumed deliberations Saturday on whether a man should be sentenced to death after being convicted days earlier of the murders of his wife and his girlfriend’s two youngest children in Idaho.
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Father who killed one-year-old son with axe may be allowed to travel in southwestern Ontario
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
'It feels like freedom': Why some Albertans like going nude in nature
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
China lands spacecraft on the moon amid growing space rivalry with U.S.
A Chinese spacecraft landed on the far side of the moon Sunday to collect soil and rock samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side.
Pedestrian dies after being hit by train in Brockville, Ont.
Brockville Police says a pedestrian has died following a collision with a train that was heading to Toronto.