Amdendments to the Criminal Code

Policing

ALST has long been involved in issues relating to policing and the Aboriginal Community. In 1997, we appeared before the Ontario Legislative Assembly to provide our comments on the Police Services Amendment Act, 1997.

Youth Criminal Justice Act

Over the past few years, the federal government made a number of proposals for replacing the Young Offenders Act with a new Youth Criminal Justice Act. The first attempt at amending the Act was Bill C-3. ALST appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on March 1, 2000, to present our views on the bill.

Bill C-3 was replaced in 2001, by Bill C-7. The House of Commons did not hold hearings into the bill, as they felt it was similar to C-3. ALST appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on October 23, 2001, to put forward our concerns regarding the bill.

In both our submissions we stressed the need for the new Act to include provisions equivalent to section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code - the Gladue section. This section was absent in both drafts of the bill. Thanks in part to our submissions the Senate amended the bill to include a s. 718.2(e) section in the new Youth Criminal Justice Act

International Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

As a signatory to the International Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the federal and provincial governments are required to report to the United Nations on the progress being made in this area. Canada recently submitted its 13th and 14th reports to the Convention. ALST has filed what is referred to as a Shadow Report in response to the government's reports. It is our position that Canada and the provinces have failed to comply with the Convention as it applies to Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code

Section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code is the basis for the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in R v. Gladue. The article below, published in the Globe and Mail, was written in response to criticisms of the section.

Legal Aid Services Act, 1998

Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto made a presentation to the Ontario Legislative Committee examining the Legal Aid Services Act.

From Punishment to Healing

Jonathan Rudin, Program Director at Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto, gave an address entitled "From Punishment to Healing" at a Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice Conference. The talk addresses incorporating principles of restorative justice into the operation of the criminal justice system.