The Honourable Helen Conway Ottenheimer, Minister of Justice and Public Safety, together with Provincial Court Chief Judge Robin Fowler, last week travelled to both northern and southern Ontario to visit local courts.
They appreciated the opportunity to observe and study the innovative court models used in Kenora and London. In addition to meeting with Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey, they met with justice centre administrators and viewed court facilities.
Minister Conway Ottenheimer was impressed with the models that have been adopted in Kenora and London. The court program in Kenora, also known as the Kenora Justice Centre, offers a wrap-around approach that uses Indigenous restorative justice initiatives through community-led supports for mental health, addictions, housing, and education.
The London Justice Centre engages multi-departmental supports for at-risk young adults and individuals in the justice system. By addressing the root causes of their offences, such as mental health issues, addictions and housing instability, they have achieved a significant reduction in recidivism.
These models offer community engagement to address the ongoing challenges in the justice system, hold individuals accountable, reduce the likelihood of future contact with the justice system, and help victims and communities heal from the impacts of crime.
Minister Conway Ottenheimer is working with the Provincial Court Working Group to review and analyze how the approach in the Ontario courts may be adapted to address the unique needs of the justice system in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Quotes
“Our government is committed to strengthening the justice system by looking at gold standard models in other jurisdictions. By visiting the Ontario courts, we gained valuable insight into approaches that could be beneficial for the Provincial Court. The Ontario Attorney General, judges, lawyers and Crown Attorneys provided fantastic advice. I look forward to exploring how these models may complement existing court operations, improve the courts, and help build safer communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Helen Conway Ottenheimer
Minister of Justice and Public Safety
“I thank Minister Conway Ottenheimer for her interest and willingness to engage in meaningful consultation to strengthen the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. Community Courts differ from traditional court models by engaging stakeholders including the Departments of Justice and Health and the community as a whole to address core issues that lead to increased crime and recidivism. Our recent review of the Ontario Community Courts has allowed us to study a system that has demonstrated positive outcomes. Specifically, there is a marked decrease in the number of people who reoffend and adoption of a trauma-informed approach that supports both the complainants and the accused.”
Honourable Robin Fowler
Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador
“It was a pleasure to welcome Newfoundland and Labrador Minister Conway Ottenheimer and Chief Judge Fowler to Ontario for very productive discussions on strengthening access to justice and supporting safer communities. We were pleased to share Ontario’s experience with our world-class justice centre model and other innovative approaches, including our historic courts digital transformation initiative, and we look forward to continuing to work together and share best practices that strengthen justice systems and deliver better outcomes for the people we serve.”
Honourable Doug Downey
Attorney General of Ontario
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