Session 3: BC First Nations Justice Strategy – Reconciliation through Partnership
Session 3: BC First Nations Justice Strategy – Reconciliation through Partnership
Colleen Spier, KC, Assistant Deputy Minister, Indigenous Justice Secretariat, Ministry of Attorney General
Amanda Carling, CEO, BC First Nations Justice Council
Q&A Session Facilitated by Cathy Stock, Executive Director, Indigenous Justice Secretariat, Ministry of Attorney General; and Natalie Martin, Director of Communications, BC First Nations Justice Council.
Summary
The BC First Nations Justice Strategy (the Strategy) signed March 6, 2020 was developed over two years by the BC First Nations Justice Council, BC First Nations communities, the Province of British Columbia, and with input from key justice system stakeholders participating at two Indigenous justice summits. The 2020 Strategy reflects and advances the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and is consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. It mandates the justice system and its partners to undertake systems change along two paths: Reform of the current justice system, and Restoration of First Nation legal traditions and structures.
Fully implemented, the Strategy will reduce the number of First Nations people who become involved with the criminal justice system, improve the experience of those who do, increase the number of First Nations people working within the justice system, and support First Nations to restore their justice systems and structures. The Strategy included a commitment to the establishment of a Cross-Ministry Indigenous Justice Secretariat under the leadership of the Ministry of the Attorney General to lead the transformative work within government as identified within the Strategy.
This session will focus on the partnership between the Indigenous Justice Secretariat and the BC First Nations Justice Council in the development of programs, services, and policies that align with the strategies, which are aimed at achieving reconciliation through transformative change in the justice system.
The Justice Summit maintains the principles of non-partisanship, non-attribution, and respect for organizational and statutory independence. Therefore, participant contributions will not be attributed to specific individuals or organizations. Moreover, while the 2023 Justice Summit will be convened through a virtual format, the recording of any sessions by participants is strictly prohibited. We are grateful for the participation of members of the judiciary in the Justice Summits. We trust, consistent with previous years, that everyone will respect that because of the courts’ independent role, judges and judicial staff participate as observers and will not be commenting on, endorsing or suggesting policy choices, recommendations or other substantive matters.