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End Indigenous Mass Incarceration

Dyanoosh Youssefi

04/08/2023 13:31

Proposal text: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Green Party of Canada will seek an end to the incarceration of Indigenous persons; will advocate for restorative justice, healing lodges, and other Indigenous-led, community-based responses to offenders and victims; for removal of Indigenous persons from prisons and jails; and for deep investment in prevention.
Type of Proposal: Public policy that the party would represent
Objective / Benefit: The over-incarceration of Indigenous persons has been increasing over the past few decades. This is so despite legislation and Supreme Court of Canada decisions aimed at decreasing the numbers. Indigenous women make up 5% of the general population, but they comprise 50% of federally-sentenced women. Indigenous adults account for 5% of the general population in Canada, but they make up over 30% of the inmate population. Indigenous youth make up 8% of Canada’s youth population, but they account for 50% of youth admissions to custody. Existing approaches have been ineffective. Let’s advocate for more pro-active ways of addressing this injustice.
If your proposal replaces an existing policy or policies, which one does it replace?: N/A
List any supporting evidence for your proposal: https://oci-bec.gc.ca/en/content/correctional-investigator-says-situation-black-people-canadian-federal-penitentiaries-has https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/daily-quotidien/220420/dq220420c-eng.pdf?st=HJ32x-0u https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/005008-rib-21-22-en.shtml https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/justice-canada-study-finds-courts-stacked-against-indigenous-accused/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-racialized-prisoners-in-canada-get-fewer-chances-at-parole-than-white/ https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/canadas-prison-system-has-changed-little-for-indigenous-peoples-report/#:~:text=Little%20has%20changed%20for%20Indigenous,being%20able%20to%20get%20out. (Thanks to Lorraine Rekmans for sharing this APTN article)
Does this proposal affect any particular group and what efforts have been made to consult with the group or groups?: It impacts Indigenous persons. These issues have been previously canvassed with the GPC Indigenous Affairs Critic; and the proposals have been checked against Indigenous-led organizations and leaders' positions on the justice system
Jurisdiction: Is this proposal under federal jurisdiction?: Yes
Please indicate the language the proposal is being submitted in.: English