Fact Sheet: Overview of the Indigenous Justice Strategy engagement process

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Overview of the Indigenous Justice Strategy engagement process
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Engagement objective

Develop a culturally appropriate strategy informed by the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples that recommends concrete actions to address systemic discrimination and the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the Canadian justice system.

Engagement themes

Two themes emerged from pre-engagement sessions and guided discussions during Justice Canada-led dialogues from Fall 2022 to Winter 2023:

  1. Supporting Indigenous justice systems
  2. Reforms to the existing Canadian justice system to reduce overrepresentation and systemic discrimination of Indigenous people

Engagement process

  • Phase 1: Pre-Engagement (completed)
    Justice Canada met with Indigenous representative organizations that provide a voice for their membership at the national level. They offered early guidance on the scope and approach to develop the Indigenous Justice Strategy (the Strategy). These discussions directed future engagement discussions.
  • Phases 2-3-4: Engagement, Development, Validation and Release
    1. Indigenous-led Engagement (2021-2024): The Government of Canada provided $11 million in funding to 38 Indigenous organizations to lead community engagements.
    2. Justice Canada-led Engagement (2022-2024):
      • First Nations communities
      • Inuit communities
      • Métis communities
      • National Indigenous Organizations
      • Indigenous justice experts
      • Indigenous justice program and service providers
      • Indigenous frontline workers
      • Indigenous people who are incarcerated
      • Justice practitioners
      • Indigenous academics
      • Provinces and territories
    • Phase 2: Engagement (completed)
      • Development and improvement of Engagement Plan through online engagement and Information Sharing Forum
      • Regional and distinctions-based Justice Canada-led dialogues on the two themes:
        • Wave 1: November 2022 to March 2023 (virtual)
        • Wave 2: August 2023 to December 2023 (in-person and virtual)
    • Phase 3: Reporting and development of a draft Strategy (completed)
    • Phase 4: Validation of draft Strategy and finalization (completed)
      • Release of Key Elements Consultation Draft
      • Co-development and engagement to collect feedback and help improve the Key Elements Consultation Draft
      • Update and finalize the Strategy
  • Phase 5: Release of the final Indigenous Justice Strategy (completed) to address the overrepresentation and systemic discrimination of Indigenous peoples in the justice system.
  • Implementation (2025 and after): The Government of Canada will work with Indigenous peoples, provinces, and territories, leveraging existing justice-focused collaborative tables and processes to advance regional priorities and cost-shared implementation plans for measures recommended in the Indigenous Justice Strategy.

For more information, please visit Justice Canada’s Indigenous Justice Strategy webpage.