February 14, 2015 – Halifax, NS – Department of Justice.
Today, Justice Minister Peter MacKay announced that the Government of Canada will provide an additional $11.1 million in funding for the Aboriginal Justice Strategy, a program which aims to help address the disproportionately high rates of victimization, crime, and incarceration experienced by Aboriginal peoples.
Through the Strategy, the Government works with provinces, territories and Aboriginal communities to support community-based justice programs. These programs provide an alternative to the mainstream justice system for less serious offences in appropriate circumstances. These programs also enable Aboriginal people to assume greater responsibility for the administration of justice in their communities and strengthen the voice of victims.
As part of Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government had already committed to invest in the Aboriginal Justice Strategy by providing $22.2 million over two years. The funding announced today will extend the Government’s support of this important work to include an additional $11.1 million for fiscal year 2016-2017. This funding will support approximately 275 community-led programs that serve more than 800 urban, rural, and Northern communities, both on- and off-reserve.
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