The Legal Aid Transition Team at the BCFNJC has made significant strides in developing an innovative and holistic legal service delivery model tailored to the needs of Indigenous people in BC this summer. Our work is focused on improving access to justice and addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care.
A major milestone was the 3-day Legal Aid Transition Retreat held on June 24-26, 2024, at the Surrey IJC building. This retreat brought together key representatives from the BCFNJC Council, Bundle A Steering Committee, BCFNJC senior staff, LABC senior staff, Indigenous Justice Secretariat, and the Legal Access Policy Division from the Province. The retreat facilitated vital information sharing about Indigenous Justice Centres (IJCs), and involved a joint priority-setting process, where challenges, opportunities for collaboration, and priority actions were identified. A meeting summary is being prepared by the Legal Aid Transition team, and Kelsie Kilawna, Memory Keeper and Storyteller, is developing a witness account of the third day she attended.
We are also excited to welcome Brianna Patrick, a summer student from the Peter A. Allard School of Law, to our team. Brianna has been instrumental in developing a discussion paper on intake options for our future legal services delivery model. Her work includes research into alternative legal service models and engagement with legal aid plans in other jurisdictions. Brianna is also supporting our team’s outreach and recruitment efforts.
Our team has continued to hold exploratory sessions to delve into the scope and depth of our legal services, focusing on youth, criminal, family, and child protection. The feedback from community members and legal professionals during the Fall 2023 engagement continues to guide our work.
We are preparing for further engagement on the future of BCFNJC’s child protection legal services. We are strengthening relationships with child protection professionals and Indigenous legal professionals, and we are committed to ongoing collaboration with Legal Aid BC and the provincial government on areas of mutual interest. These efforts are crucial as we work toward a legal aid services model that is accessible, holistic, healing, sustainable, decolonized, and centred on Indigenous self-determination.
Attending the 2024 BCFNJC Indigenous Justice Forum reminded us of the importance of building strong partnerships with Indigenous organizations that have long served our communities. These relationships are essential to ensuring our clients receive the support they need as we advance the Justice Strategy.
