March 12, 2015 – Yellowknife, NWT – Department of Justice.
Today, Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council, on behalf of Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced $631, 204 in funding over two years for the Northwest Territories Department of Justice Community Justice Division. The funding will support its Community Justice Program, which works with partners to provide restorative justice services programs and crime reduction activities. The program also assists community justice committees in 13 communities across the Territories to manage diversion programs, reintegration support for offenders, and on-the-land programs for youth.
The funding was provided as part of the Aboriginal Justice Strategy, through which 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 committed to invest in the Aboriginal Justice Strategy by providing $22.2 million over two years. The Government recently announced that it will extend its support of this important work to include an additional $11.1 million for fiscal year 2016-17.
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