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
NEW This Canadian scientist combines passion for history, archeology and genetics to solve ancient and modern-day DNA puzzles
Turi King takes pride in her work solving ancient and modern-day DNA puzzles – including a centuries-old mystery involving an infamous British king.
Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Oilers advance to Stanley Cup final by beating Stars in Game 6
The Edmonton Oilers rode their special teams and goaltender to victory on Sunday, beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 to win the National Hockey League's Western Conference and earn a berth in the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers.
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.
Mackenzie Hughes 'gutted' after falling short at RBC Canadian Open
Mackenzie Hughes had the dream scenario of winning the RBC Canadian Open in his hometown within reach but then it all slipped away.
Motorcycle doing wheelies, weaving in, out of traffic caught on Highway 417
A motorcycle driver is facing charges after being caught on Highway 417 doing wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says.
'Rotten rock': Climate change altering the face of Canadian mountaineering
The Abbot Pass hut stood for decades in a rugged saddle between two iconic peaks, overlooking the limpid turquoise of Banff National Park's Lake Louise — a destination for alpinists from around the world until the ground melted beneath it and forced its closure.
North Korea says it will stop sending trash balloons as South Korea vows strong retaliation
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.
'The legacy I want to leave:' Mother with Stage 4 cancer advocates for survivors
People around the world are observing National Cancer Survivor Day, an annual celebration held to honour patients who have been through the often difficult and traumatic experience of living with cancer.