One year ago, CBABC released Agenda for Justice 2021. In highlighting the need for meaningful change for Indigenous peoples, CBABC acknowledged that Indigenous communities deserve a unique and collaborative approach to justice that addresses the issues most prevalent within that population.  

CBABC members on the Indigenous Justice Advocacy Committee (IJAC) further developed our recommendations throughout 2021.

CBABC issued a comprehensive submission on November 29, 2021, which calls on the government to take action on the following initiatives:

Move forward with implementing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (“DRIPA”), provide a roadmap to Indigenous groups on the steps to be taken in the process, and provide meaningful, ongoing opportunities for consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples. Without such a roadmap, DRIPA will not be effective.

Provide adequate funding to ensure that the objectives of the First Nations Justice Strategy are met, with transparency on the sources of that funding. CBABC will closely monitor the 2022 provincial budget for this funding.

Work with Indigenous groups and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system to build upon the existing restorative justice framework, in turn creating new and better programs that will meet the needs of Indigenous peoples and are accessible for Indigenous communities across the province. CBABC created the Restorative Justice Working Group to report on the effectiveness of public awareness campaigns led by those offering restorative justice programs.

Provide high-speed internet and computers to rural communities in the province to improve access to justice, as well as encourage lawyers to practice in rural communities by implementing a student loan forgiveness program. The Access to Justice Committee is also launching a project to collect unused computers to be recycled and delivered to rural areas to improve access to the justice system.

Increase funding to legal aid to ensure that Indigenous peoples in BC have access to the services they need.

Completely overhaul the child protection system and the Child, Family and Community Service Act, and make dealing with the overrepresentation of Indigenous children a top priority. This recommendation aligns with a previous submission from CBABC on reforming the child protection system, released in 2021 by the Family Law Working Group.

Ensure all actors in the justice system receive mandatory cultural competency training, and that the details of such training be readily available to the public to ensure greater transparency.

Collect and report back on pertinent data to identify gaps in the justice system, in a manner that is culturally sensitive. This recommendation aligns with previous recommendations made in the CBABC submission to the Special Committee charged with reforming the Police Act in 2021.

In all, there were 27 detailed recommendations that were identified as appropriate measures to ensure meaningful change in the justice system. However, these steps represent just the beginning of what is needed to transform the relationship between the province and Indigenous peoples, and this work will need to continue into the future.

Want to get involved? Reach out to us at advocacy@cbabc.org.