Funding for Indigenous-led projects to address overrepresentation in justice system

Ontario – Indigenous people are overrepresented in the Canadian justice system, whether as victims, accused, or offenders. Access to Indigenous-led justice services across Canada continues to be an important way for achieving systemic change in our justice system. That is why programs and resources are needed in every stage of the justice process to create this change.

Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, with Julie Dabrusin, Member of Parliament for Toronto – Danforth and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Canada,  joined Chantell Barker, Executive Director of Aboriginal Legal Services to announce funding of over $2.1 million to support three Indigenous-led projects that aim to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Canada’s justice system.

• The first project supports initiatives under the Community Council Program, a criminal diversion program for Indigenous offenders in Toronto. Initiatives include the Giiwedin Anang Council, an Indigenous Family Dispute Resolution program that supports civil family mediation; an evaluation of civil and family mediation; and a community based Gladue Aftercare program, which provides the accused with services to support their healing. Justice Canada is providing $1,290,394 over 6 fiscal years, starting December 2021.
• The second project supports the Gladue Program. Funding will help Aboriginal Legal Services write Gladue Reports. Glaude Reports are pre-sentencing reports prepared following a guilty plea or a finding of guilt. They include information on the unique circumstances of the offender and of Indigenous people and provide recommendations to the court regarding appropriate sentencing. Justice Canada is providing $598,309 over 6 fiscal years, starting December 2021.
• The third project supports Aboriginal Legal Services to prepare a needs assessment for the Toronto Courthouse and Bail Centre Project. This assessment, which is underway, will address the challenges and opportunities presented by the centralization of the Gladue Courts in Toronto. A key focus of this project will be to ensure greater First Nations, Inuit and Métis input into decisions about the Gladue Courts and how they incorporate Gladue Principles. Justice Canada is providing $249,120 over 3 fiscal years, starting 2022.

Justice Canada is providing funding for these projects through the Indigenous Justice Program. This Program supports Indigenous projects and initiatives that offer alternatives to mainstream justice processes in appropriate circumstances.

Today’s announcement supports Canada’s efforts to advance reconciliation and respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action 30 and 31. Addressing the systemic factors that contribute to the overrepresentation of Indigenous people, as well as systemic racism in the justice system, is part of the commitments outlined in the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan and the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.