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
Potential tornado 'surreal' for residents who witnessed damaging storm in southern Ontario
Witnessing a potential tornado was 'surreal' for residents who caught a glimpse of the damaging storm in southern Ontario on Wednesday night.
Was this the bug that stung you? Wasp sightings revive murder-hornet concerns; no detections confirmed
As temperatures rise out of a mild El Nino winter, Canada's buggy season is already upon us again, and this year, the bugs are looking especially big.
Minister tables bill to extend citizenship rights to children born abroad
Immigration Minister Marc Miller tabled legislation today that is intended to extend citizenship to some children born outside of the country.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
Jennifer Lopez's response to question about Ben Affleck is a reminder of their decades of love in the spotlight
Plenty of people are wondering if Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are having problems in their marriage, but one person had the nerve to ask in a public forum.
U.S. Justice Department says illegal monopoly by Ticketmaster and Live Nation drives up prices for fans
The U.S. Justice Department filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America -- squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.
Adding just 10% ultraprocessed foods to healthy diets may raise risk of cognitive decline, stroke
Eating more ultraprocessed foods is linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline and stroke, even if a person is trying to adhere to a Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet or the MIND diet, a new study found.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished.