Our commitment to reconciliation
We stand for Truth and Reconciliation and commit to addressing the Calls to Action made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. We support and advocate for the Calls for Justice from the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
From ReachOut newsletter December 2024
Calls to Action
BC Indigenous Justice Centres (IJCs) transform justice through Indigenous laws and kinship
Even though 6% of the adult population in BC is Indigenous, Indigenous people constitute 35% of the people in the correctional system. In 2020/2021, the incarceration rate of Indigenous women in BC correctional facilities was 11.2 times higher than non-Indigenous women.
For many Indigenous people, Canada’s justice system has long been a source of oppression and isolation. The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) is committed to changing the justice system by providing culturally appropriate legal services and supports at Indigenous Justice Centres (IJCs). These Centres offer more than legal advocacy — they offer kinship-based support rooted in community and healing. For BCFNJC staff, serving clients as kin means breaking cycles of trauma and supporting Indigenous peoples’ self-determination.
IJCs help keep Indigenous people safe by reducing incarceration (see Calls to Action #30 and #38) and providing a healing path away from justice system involvement. Anchored in community, IJCs make it easier for Indigenous people to navigate the justice system and obtain support. Some of the comprehensive services IJCs provide include:
- Legal advice and representation on criminal and child protection matters.
- Referrals for counselling, treatment programs, education and training, employment, and other resources.
- Access to Gladue services and the facilitation of Gladue reports.
- Access to cultural supports, such as Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
“Our approach isn’t just about seeing a client through a legal case; it’s about rebuilding connections and restoring balance. When we support a client, we support their family, community, and Nation. Justice in our Indigenous ways has always been connected to kinship,” says Kirsten Barnes, Gitxsan, IJC Clinical Director.
BCFNJC’s programs are built on the principle that healing and justice should not be separate. Through IJCs and other programs like restorative justice circles, Gladue reporting, and diversion initiatives, BCFNJC is supporting clients to reconnect with their communities.
“The work we do supports people in reclaiming their place within their community and helps them find their way back to their culture, language, and family,” explains Kory Wilson, Kwakwaka’wakw, BCFNJC Council Chair.
All Indigenous Peoples in BC, regardless of whether they qualify for legal aid, can access free IJC legal and outreach services if they are facing a criminal or child protection issue.
BCFNJC is expanding the current network of nine IJCs across the province. Six new IJCs will be opening by the end of 2024 in Burns Lake, Hazelton, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Cranbrook, and Port Hardy.
In addition to establishing 15 IJCs, BCFNJC has a Virtual Indigenous Justice Centre which serves Indigenous clients living in under-served areas of the province where access to legal advice or representation is difficult or non-existent.
See more information at Indigenous Justice Centres.
And get more information on the BC First Nations Justice Strategy.
Calls for Justice
Transportation equity and safety for Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples
The lack of reliable and affordable transportation in rural and remote communities has significant disproportionate impacts on Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples. Limited transit options increase increase perpetrators’ ability to exploit opportunities to use violence, hinder access to essential services, and reinforce economic, educational, and social disparities.
Indigenous women living in rural and Northern Canadian communities experience higher rates and more severe cases of intimate partner violence than those living in urban communities.
Inaccessible transportation services make it difficult for survivors outside of urban areas to escape from a violent situation or travel between communities to access anti-violence, legal, or medical supports. Survivors also lack access to information about transportation options and policies, such as ID requirements, pet restrictions, and funding for tickets. As a result of these barriers, survivors may choose to remain in a violent relationship or have to hitchhike, which increases survivors’ risk of violence.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Final Report calls for funded, safe transportation infrastructure and services in rural and remote Indigenous communities (see Call for Justice 4.8). Addressing this call requires a holistic approach and the acknowledgement that the barriers to transportation are rooted in colonization.
What’s being done to make transportation safer and more accessible in rural BC?
- The Highway of Tears Governing Body provides direction and support to implement all of the Highway of Tears Symposium report recommendations and advocates for the Calls for Justice. Please see Highway of Tears projects for more information.
- BC Society of Transition Houses Transportation Project has built partnerships between the transportation and anti-violence sectors to create safer options for survivors in Northern BC to travel to other communities.
- The BC government has invested $75 million to extend cellular coverage to 550 km of highway by 2027.
- The BC government will continue funding BC Bus North and the Northern Community Shuttle Program until 2026-27. This will ensure the operation of critical transit services between regional centres, and community shuttles between rural and remote communities.
- The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has committed $10.2 million through 2024/25 in provincial and federal funding for the Highway 16 – Five Point Action Plan.
What’s next?
Moving forward, transportation policies and initiatives should be rooted in self-determination and community-led approaches; the voices and needs of Indigenous communities must be at the forefront of decision-making processes.
The Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education centre, recommends:
- Recognizing mobility as a social determinant of health which should include significant investments in inter-community mobility, with established measurable outcomes and annual reviews.
- Enhancing public transportation infrastructure by establishing grant funding tailored for Indigenous communities.
- Conducting research with community advocates, Indigenous scholars, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and practitioners to increase understanding of rural and remote transportation challenges.
- Establishing safe, affordable, and readily available transportation services for Indigenous women and girls and the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community.
See the Yellowhead Institute policy brief.
