Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan (IWJP) Webinar
On October 15, 2024, the Indigenous Women’s Justice Team hosted an update on the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan (IWJP). The update included an overview on the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan: Final Draft, as well as the progress on the plan since the release earlier this year and what to expect upcoming. Please find answers to […]
Intertwining Kinship & Justice
A Client’s Journey Through BCFNJC’s Indigenous Justice Centre – a story on how the BCFNJC is different, and is working to transform justice. “We are doing things differently, outside the framework of a conventional law firm. Our work is holistic, rooted in healing and restoration. With each client we serve, we know that we serve […]
Legal Aid Transition Planning Begins
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 Role of Elders and Knowledge Keepers in BC’s Justice Reform
Strategy 21 of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy is dedicated to the inclusion and utilization of Indigenous knowledge systems, particularly those held by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, in the transformation of justice services and structures. This strategy emphasizes the necessity of grounding justice initiatives in culturally relevant frameworks that honour Indigenous laws, protocols, and […]
BCFNJC Leads Transformation of Gladue Report Services Toward Staff-Centric Model
In the pursuit of maintaining high standards of quality and consistency, our organization is undergoing a significant transition from a roster-based model of Gladue Report writers to a staff-centric approach. This shift, which began with the introduction of Support Worker roles to bolster cultural competence and trauma-informed care, has empowered our team to collaborate closely […]
Sustainable, Long-Term Core Funding Needed
The BC Cabinet approved Strategy 3 in 2020, however, BCFNJC has not yet received an invitation from the Treasury Board for core funding. BCFNJC receives funding from three primary sources: the provincial government, the federal government, and the Law Foundation of BC. Some of the funding is prescribed, while federal funding sometimes passes through the […]
Advancements in Prosecution Policies for Indigenous People
The Challenge The Crown Counsel Policy Manual (the Policy Manual), issued by the BC Prosecution Service (BCPS), provides guidance to prosecutors in the exercise of their discretion, including on fundamental prosecution considerations such as charge assessment, alternative measures, bail, and resolution discussions. In April of 2019, the BCPS publicly announced its Indigenous Justice Framework along […]
Increasing the Number of First Nations Judges
The Challenge In British Columbia, 95% of criminal cases are heard in the Provincial Court of BC, with only the most serious crimes being heard in the Supreme Court of BC. However, First Nations people are underrepresented as Provincial Court Judges, even though a large proportion of both victims and accused are First Nations. In […]
Strengthened Relations Between First Nations and Police Forces
The Challenge Policing is most often the first aspect of a person’s interaction with the justice system. For many First Nations and other Indigenous peoples, this interaction is filled with fear and trauma that is tied to the historical and current contexts of policing. Historically, police forces acted as enforcers of many colonial policies of […]
Strengthening Traditional Knowledge and First Nations Laws in the Justice System
The Challenge: A critical aspect of both Track 1, reform of the existing justice system, and Track 2, the rebuilding of First Nations justice institutions and legal orders, is supporting and expanding the roles to be played by Elders and Knowledge Keepers. These roles include everything from ensuring and reinforcing the cultural appropriateness of how […]
