Leaders say Indigenous people in justice system 'not necessarily better off' after

A change in the Indigenous Court Workers program is opening up conversations about Manitoba's justice system.

In a Tuesday morning press conference, Manitoba's Justice Minister Cameron Friesen was joined by Indigenous leaders to announce the Indigenous Court Workers Program is transferring its operations to be under Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF), the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) and the Island Lake Tribal Council (ILTC). 

"We believe these four organizations have the capacity, the knowledge, the expertise, the relationships, the ability, to help clients understand the court process and access the resources that they need," Friesen says in a Tuesday morning press conference.

A million dollars per year, plus a cost-share system, will go towards this agreement with the Government of Canada. This will include costs such as recruitment and supplies.

Over the past years, this program has helped Indigenous people navigate the highly technical court system with the help of people who understand the system, and Indigenous cultures and languages.

"I think this starts another conversation meant to be had going forward," Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) Grand Chief Garrison Settee says. "Currently the system that we inherited for justice has not really served our people well."

Monday's announcement highlighted the high numbers of Indigenous people in incarceration. Approximately three-quarters of people who are incarcerated in Manitoba are Indigenous.

Southern Chief's Grand Chief Jerry Daniels says in the past year Manitoba has been losing an average of one Indigenous life a month due to the justice system.

"We have to really change the culture. That culture, I think, is not for the benefit of First Nations. Many people, we are seeing, that come out of these institutions are not necessarily better off in any significant way. And so we have to change that," Daniels says in the conference, taking a break between visiting the residential school in Cowessess and soon in Kamloops.

Friesen says the province is looking to improve working with Indigenous peoples in the justice system, including better trauma-informed approaches in the justice system. The Minster says moving forward more restorative justice approaches will be worked on.

"For us as leaders, you are constantly trying to evolve systems like to justice system," Daniels says. "We have to be able to get away from producing hardened criminals in the justice system or the loss of life of people who come in contact with officers."

Daniels says this will be difficult, and they are looking for increased accountability.

Manitoba Metis Federation's Justice Minster Julyda Lagimodiere says the justice system's impact on offenders "hasn't made them any better" and many return to the system.

She says the Indigenous Court Workers Program is not individual-based, but community-based which has been helping to province supports.

"I think that is going to go a long way, That is part of healing, of being accountable back to the community," Lagimodiere says.

Lagimodiere and Settee say the current system does not focus on rehabilitation, something they say is creating bigger problems and sucking them into the system.

"We have not been allowed to exercise our own ways of justice, and this has been a detriment to our people. I think that this is an opportunity to start a conversation when we've had our systems in place before Europeans and they work for us. They have always worked for us," Settee says.

He says indigenous culture needs to be incorporated into the justice system.