FSIN Slams Justice Reform Commission Report

FSIN Slams Justice Reform Commission Report

Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 15:31

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is not happy with the final report of the Commission on First Nations and Metis Peoples and Justice Reform.

FSIN vice chief Lawrence Joseph says the report’s recommendations do not adequately address First Nations’ concerns and fall far short of what First Nations people in Saskatchewan were hoping for.

Joseph takes issue with the fact the report recommends initiatives that are “Aboriginal” in nature and include both Metis and non-First Nations people without acknowledging the distinct status of treaty people.

Joseph points out that it was First Nations people who were found frozen on the outskirts of Saskatoon and that the commission was established largely through the lobbying of First Nations groups like the FSIN.

Joseph is also disappointed that the recommendations do not focus on actual reform of the justice system itself, but rather, call for improvements to existing programs or for the implementation of new programming.

Joseph says the FSIN will take what it can from the “short-term” solutions contained in the report, but says First Nations will continue to work on “implementing our own solutions”.