The provincial government has announced new initiatives aimed at keeping offenders out of jail as the Manitoba’s justice system tries to climb out of Canada’s basement.
Justice Minister Heather Stefanson was on hand in Winnipeg to unveil the plan, which will use four steps to divert Manitobans away from jails and try to find more appropriate sentences across the board.
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The objectives are to:
- reduce crime
- individually address each case
- reduce delays in courts and reliance on incarceration
- better reintegrate offenders after they serve their sentence
The Criminal Justice System Modernization Strategy was written in collaboration with all levels of government and multiple community groups.
Its cost won’t be known until Monday’s budget.
“Manitobans are looking for transparency and accountability,” Stefanson said. “I don’t think they’re happy with the way the justice system has served them so far and I think we need to restore that confidence.
“This is about creating safer communities and about creating better access to justice.”
But while the modernization plan talks of lowering Indigenous population in jails, the fact that it does not mention Indigenous-led restorative systems is a red flag for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. Grand Chief Arlen Dumas said Friday his group has been preaching reintegration and intervention for years.
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“We already have the answers, we already have the solutions: we need the financial means,” Dumas said. “We’ve been saying and doing these things for almost 40 years.”
“The recent cases with Tina Fontaine and Colten Boushie show that there is a disconnect [in the justice system].”
The plan comes just days after an annual federal report card ranked Manitoba as having the worst justice system and the lowest amount of confidence in the courts.
The report, released by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, ranked all of the provinces and territories in terms of access to justice, efficiency, cost, public safety and support for victims.
Manitoba has one of the lowest victim restitution rates in the country and the highest proportion of accused offenders on remand while awaiting trial.
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