Justice Reform Commission Releases Final Report

Justice Reform Commission Releases Final Report

Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 15:33

 

 

The Commission on First Nations and Metis Peoples and Justice Reform has released its final report.

 

After 2-and-a-half years of extensive consultations throughout the province, the 2.8-million dollar exercise has produced 122 recommendations.

 

Among other things, the report calls for the creation of an independent complaints investigation agency to handle complaints from Aboriginal people regarding the police.

 

The report also calls for an increased Aboriginal presence in police forces in the provinces, as well as more Aboriginal sensitivity training for all police officers.

 

The commission was formed following the discovery of several frozen bodies of Aboriginal men on the outskirts of Saskatoon.

 

Justice Minister Frank Quennell has promised the province will give the report serious consideration.

 

However, Quennell told reporters yesterday that the province likely won’t follow through on the report’s recommendation to establish an office designed to track the province’s implementation record.

 

Quennell said the funding that would be needed to create an implementation commissioner would be better used in fulfilling some of the report’s other recommendations.