District Court Focuses on Indigenous Justice, The Canadian Business Journal

EDMONTON, Alberta, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alberta Courts Provide Culturally Relevant, Restorative, and Holistic Justice System for Indigenous Peoples Accessing Courts We have outlined the specific steps we are taking to

At a rare public press event on September 28, Alberta Court Chief Justice Derek Redman formally announced the court’s Indigenous Justice Strategy. The Indigenous Justice Strategy is the product of two years of discussions with leaders of Indigenous communities across the state and of the legal and service organizations that interact with those communities. The Indigenous Justice Strategy is intended to serve as a response to some of the broader issues facing diverse Indigenous communities accessing the courts. This represents a preparatory step on the part of the courts to continue to fulfill their ongoing obligation to listen to and engage in cooperative dialogue with indigenous communities in order to better understand their explicit priorities. I’m here.

The 20 specific steps of the Indigenous Justice Strategy are:

• Provide educational opportunities to gain a broader understanding of the history, heritage and laws of the community, and to understand and, where appropriate, participate in cultural activities
• Help establish restorative justice programs and indigenous courts that meet community needs
• Hold an annual conference between the leaders of the Courts and Conventions 6, 7 and 8 and the leaders of Alberta’s Métis Nation and Métis Settlement
• Incorporating indigenous cultural practices into courts and tribunals where appropriate
• Encouraging Indigenous Peoples’ Applications for Employment in Various Positions within the Court System
• Mentoring Programs for Indigenous Attorneys and Students
• Observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

“The Court’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan includes Indigenous initiatives as a priority,” said Alberta Court Chief Justice Derek Redman. “The leaders of this court have spent the past two years listening to people from across the state’s Indigenous communities. We will continue to listen and respond.”

“Métis Nation is pleased to continue its dialogue with the State Courts to achieve our shared goal of ensuring meaningful access to justice for all Indigenous Peoples, including citizens of Métis Nation across the state. I think,” said Alberta’s Metis Nation President Audrey Poitras. “We look forward to continued positive relationship building that will ensure that Metty’s perspective is more than just a footnote and not people in oblivion.”

“The Alberta Courts’ Indigenous Justice Strategy is important because it leads to important new relationships between the courts and Indigenous communities and organizations: Indigenous women and girls.” and a call for justice.These new relationships will shape the future of the courts by creating collaborative change that will bring about meaningful change in Alberta’s judicial system. prize.”

“Alberta Native Counseling Services was pleased to participate in the State Court Indigenous Strategy consultations this past year. Acting on our joint recommendation to introduce an Indigenous Tribunal to the United States. We have shown that inclusion can change lives in meaningful ways. Alberta Native Counseling Services supports the Indigenous Peoples Strategy and advises court officials on the implementation of other aspects of the Indigenous Peoples Strategy in provincial courts. We look forward to working with them,” said Marlene Orr, Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Native Counseling Services.

“The work done in developing the District Court’s Indigenous Justice Strategy has been completed after the past year of meaningful consultation with Indigenous communities. Alberta’s Yellowhead Tribal Council and Indigenous Counseling Services is working with us to implement an Indigenous Court in Edmonton, a key aspect of the strategy.The continued and meaningful engagement by our community during the implementation phase of the strategy will help reduce the over-representation of Indigenous peoples in the justice system. It will be the key to ensuring that strategies are executed in a reducing way.

“In the Blackfoot worldview and in our language there is no word for ‘crime’. Our word is ‘wrong’. According to our traditional guardians of knowledge, man is said to have made mistakes. Mistakes can be rectified, people can be helped in peaceful ways, and life can be made right again. I fully support this initiative of the District Court. This initiative will mark the beginning of the recognition of holistic principles and practices of Indigenous Peoples as exercised in the courts. said Kainai/Brad Tribe.

Alberta Courts are Alberta’s busiest courts, all criminal cases are initiated at the state court level and over 97% are completed. More than 500,000 people interact in some way with Alberta courts each year as witnesses, attorneys, defendants or plaintiffs. For most Albertans, the provincial courts are the primary point of contact with the judicial system.

For more information, please contact:

Olaf Lochne
Senior Communications Advisor
alberta court
[email protected]
780-203-3490

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