Manitoba’s justice minister announced March 2 that his department is providing more money for the City of Thompson to develop a public safety strategy as well as launching a pilot project to establish a northern restorative justice program.
Thompson is getting $35,000 to pay for a consultant to help create a community safety and well-being strategy, which was announced last year with provincial funding of $300,000.
“I know there’s a lot of organizations doing tremendous work here in Thompson,” said Justice Minister Cliff Cullen. “Quite often, we see this in other communities too, it gets to be somewhat of a siloed approach. The local public safety organization here wants to make sure that everybody’s working together, that we’re going to get good value in providing positive outcomes for individuals. They’re going to be working with the public safety organization – in fact, they have already – and they’ll be doing some continuing work in the community as well, coming up with a strategy to determine how we can work better with everyone cooperatively.”
City manager Anthony McInnis said at the public safety committee’s Feb. 13 meeting that the consultant they are working with has access to specialists including former police officers and community psychologists who know what the best public safety strategies are in Canada and abroad.
“They’ll be bringing that knowledge,” he said at the time, but also learning about Thompson’s particular issues. The goal is to have a draft strategy in the spring and to make use of resources that already exist in Thompson. “How can we enhance what’s already there?”
Restorative Justice North is intended to increase the use of diversion options for less serious crimes in Thompson that give offenders the opportunity to make amends with their victims and the community without being saddled with a criminal record. It is being developed and delivered in partnership with the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO). Province-wide, about 5,000 crimes are diverted away from the criminal justice system each year.
“MKO is hopeful that this announcement and initial investments are the beginning of utilizing culturally appropriate and Indigenous ways of being to address justice issues in the north,” said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee in a provincial press release. “Criminal offences stem from systemic causes that require more in-depth and holistic approaches that focus on the victim, offender and the community at large. Without holistic approaches to address justice, the cycle continues without any benefit to the community. Restorative justice is a step forward in addressing the impacts of colonialism. The approach must be Indigenous led with First Nations, Inuit and Métis at the table and inputting into the design, having decision-making authority and implementing from a culturally appropriate lens.”
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, who was present at the Thompson announcement, said restorative justice can provides remedies for some crimes more quickly and efficiently than the traditional justice system.
“If you take a look at any of the [court] dockets that are happening in our communities, they’re overburdened and in many cases a lot of those specific issues are not heavy criminal issues, they’re issues that could be dealt with in different ways,” Dumas said. “Restorative justice is more reflective of our communities and our societies. Accountability will be wielded by the community. If you busted an elder’s window, then you’re going to go fix it. I think it would be interesting to figure out innovative ways to hold each other accountable.”
Having this announcement come the day before University College of the North’s fourth-annual Truth and Reconciliation Gathering in Thompson is appropriate, said Coun. Kathy Valentino.
“I believe that today really symbolizes the City of Thompson’s commitment and all of us here that we are working on bridging the gap to reconciliation,” Valentino said. “We thank you for listening and for letting this be a step in the right direction here in the city and in Northern Manitoba.”
