Our client service stories are shared in two sections: a kin-focused story first, then the legal side.
This is Daniel’s story: read what he experienced, then read the legal details from the team at the Indigenous Justice Centre that did things differently.
Kin Story
The first light of dawn touched the waters of the ocean, painting the waves in gold and copper. In the quiet hours before the world woke, Daniel stood at the shore, his feet bare against the cool sand. He closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm of the tide.
But that morning, the peace was shattered.
Handcuffs and the slam of a car door. Three days in a cold cell, three days of being treated like a stranger in his own land. The charges, assault, threats, a weapon, were nothing but shadows, false stories clinging to him. He had done nothing wrong. But the system had already decided he did.
The Crown saw a file, a number, a “risk.” They didn’t see the father who sang his daughters to sleep, the fisherman who knew every current in the bay, the man who carried his grandmother’s teachings in his heart.
But we did.
At the First Nations Justice Council, we don’t just see clients, we see relatives. Kin. And when kin are hurting, we circle around them.
Emma, our lawyer, sat with Daniel in a small room with warm light and a cup of tea steaming between them. She didn’t start with the charges. She started with his name. His family. His story. Following relational protocol. She listened to everything, even the silence between them, the place where fear often lives.
The Crown argued to keep him locked away. Flight risk. Danger. As if Daniel hadn’t been rooted to this land since the beginning. As if his love for his family wasn’t the strongest tether of all.
Emma brought forward the Gladue report, an offering of his story. She wove his history into the courtroom, Canada’s residential schools, Canada’s child welfare system, the generations of loss and resilience. She made them see the whole person, not just the accusation.
And the judge listened.
But freedom came with invisible chains, conditions, check-ins, a system that didn’t understand the shape of an Indigenous life. So, we bent it. We connected his bail to his home community, because as we know family is the best support there is.
While the Crown moved slowly, we moved with purpose. Maya, Indigenous Justice Centre’s Resource & Support Worker, walked beside Daniel like a sister. She didn’t just guide him to programs, she sat with him in circle, reminded him of his strength when the weight of the world made him forget.
And when the Crown truly looked, they saw the truth. The charges disappeared like mist under the morning sun. No record. No stain. Just Daniel, whole again.
Months later, a package arrived at Emma’s desk. Inside, a smudging kit, cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and a note in careful handwriting:
“Emma, you saw me when the world only saw a shadow. You stood between me and the storm. Before you, I thought the law was a weapon. Now I know, it can be a shelter, too.” We don’t do this work for thanks. We do it because our Kin deserve to walk tall, to feel the sun on their faces, to know they are never alone.
Legal Story
When Indigenous clients and kin access support from an Indigenous Justice Centre, the experience is different. Here’s how:
The facts
Daniel was arrested and faced three criminal charges for crimes he did not commit:
- Assault
- Uttering threats
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
He was detained far from his home and family, when the IJC lawyer got involved in the case.
Our approach
The staff lawyer, Emma, spent time with the client, listening to his full story, and started to build a relationship. She then provided immediate legal support and coordinated across jurisdictions to ensure the best possible outcome for Daniel:
- They successfully applied for bail and the client was granted release
- Emma coordinated closely with the local bail supervisor and their counterpart in the client’s home jurisdiction to find a creative solution that would allow the client to meet reporting requirements while remaining close to family and community support
- Emma coordinated with the IJC’s Resource & Support Worker to identify wraparound services for the client. The Resource and Support Worker introduced community-based programs to the client and together, they created a healing plan that addressed the underlying issues related to the allegations
- Emma built a strong case against the criminal charges by compiling Gladue factors and collecting evidence that supported the client’s innocence
The outcome
Once the healing program was complete, Emma communicated this to the Crown and all charges were stayed. The client kept a clean record and left the process with their dignity, freedom, and future intact.
*Certain details of this story, including names, have been withheld or changed to protect the confidentiality and safety of our clients and staff.*
