The new training, which was unveiled June 21 (National Indigenous Peoples Day), will aim to raise cultural awareness of the societal matters and historical events that caused and contribute to the systemic causes of Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, while also exploring adaptive strategies informed by Gladue principles.
“Indigenous peoples are alarmingly overrepresented in Canada’s criminal justice system,” said Justice Minister David Lametti. “Creating and improving cultural awareness within the legal profession is critical to bringing meaningful and lasting change in the system. The CBA’s cultural awareness training supports efforts improve access to justice and fairness in our criminal justice system and help advance our work to respond to the national tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.”
This training will include a new module for The Path: Your Journey through Indigenous Canada, which is the CBA’s existing online course on the history and contemporary realities of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The module will deal with the systemic causes of Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system designed for lawyers and legal professionals throughout Canada. Materials and resources will also be available on the CBA Truth and Reconciliation website.
“The Canadian Bar Association is thrilled to receive this grant from the Department of Justice Canada,” said CBA president Stephen Rotstein. “We will continue to provide our members with the tools and training needed to help raise awareness and assist lawyers in engaging in their own acts of reconciliation.”
Justice Canada is providing funding over two years through its Indigenous Justice Program. The new resources and training will be available in early 2023.
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