Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 161: Gladue is a legal requirement. All levels of government have an obligation to ensure that all Indigenous women in the DTES have timely, appropriate, and high-quality access to Gladue reports when involved in the criminal justice system.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 162: Expand the number and scope of courts like B.C.’s First Nations Court that emphasize healing plans over punishment.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 163: Expand funding for community-based and court-based victim services.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 164: Prioritize funding to train Indigenous legal advocates, court workers, and lawyers including through increased funding and capacity for Indigenous court worker programs and initiatives under the Indigenous Justice Program.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 165: The Federation of Law Societies of Canada, law schools in Canada, and the Canadian Judicial Council must provide mandatory training to all law students, lawyers, and judges on the legacy of residential schools, Canada’s obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous legal traditions, Gladue principles, and the systemic failure of colonial legal systems to uphold justice for Indigenous people.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 166: Implement existing recommendations of the Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Access to justice

Recommendation 167: Implement existing recommendations in Justice Reform for British Columbia by Community Legal Assistance Society, Pivot Legal Society, West Coast LEAF, and B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Correctional facilities

Recommendation 168: Full decarceration of Indigenous women in the federal and provincial corrections system. No Indigenous woman should ever be sentenced into a colonial system.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Correctional facilities

Recommendation 169: Increased resourcing, capacity, and funding for section 81 Healing Lodges. Indigenous nations and urban Indigenous organizations must be able to operate Healing Lodges on a long-term basis and with full wrap-around supports. Change the policy of not allowing women with maximum-security classifications to be at CSC-operated healing lodges and increase access to all healing lodges.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Correctional facilities

Recommendation 170: Increased resources, capacity, and funding for section 84 agreements so that Indigenous nations are compensated and can provide full support for Indigenous women seeking section 84 releases. Indigenous communities and organizations should exercise control and self-determination in the development and implementation of reintegration plans.