Alberta provincial court releases Indigenous Justice Strategy
Alberta's provincial court has announced a plan outlining ways it can better serve Indigenous people.
The Indigenous Justice Strategy announced Wednesday by Chief Judge Derek Redman follows two years of discussions with First Nations and Métis leaders, as well as legal groups.
"The one thing that we did not want was another report," Redman said. "What we wanted was an action document."
It includes 20 measures such as ensuring judges and staff have a comprehensive understanding of Indigenous history, heritage and laws, as well as establishing Indigenous cultural practices in courthouses and courtrooms where appropriate.
The strategy incorporates some steps the court had already been taking, Redman said.
He said the strategy is meant to address the lack of access Indigenous people have to the courts, the lack of confidence they have in the justice system, the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in pre- and post-trial custody and the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care.
It also aims to address several calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, such as ensuring lawyers receive appropriate cultural competency training and providing more support for Indigenous programming in halfway houses, parole services and relevant services to inmates.
Meetings are to be held annually between court leadership, leaders of Treaties 6, 7 and 8, and leaders of the Métis Nation of Alberta and Métis settlements to maintain relationships and address community needs.
Redman said this was the strategy's most important measure.
"I think it begins with relationships and learning," he said.
Redman's advisers on the strategy included three Indigenous judges who emphasized the importance of education.
"The court needs to be educated about the needs, the history, the culture of Indigenous persons," he said. "We do a lot of that, but we are challenging ourselves to do it in a more thoughtful, comprehensive way."
The announcement comes two days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Redman, who was appointed as Chief Judge in 2020, is from Lethbridge, Alta., and has been practising law since the early '80s.
The Calgary Indigenous Court was established in 2019, encompassing many of the steps included in the Indigenous Justice Strategy.
The provincial court in Edmonton has been operating its Indigenous courtroom since the spring but will hold an official ceremony on Friday morning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.