THUNDER BAY — Nishnawbe Aski Nation Legal Services Corporation has officially filled its director of justice program vacancy.
Jennifer McKenzie said she was thrilled to take over the position at the annual Chiefs Justice Forum at the Valhalla Hotel and Conference Centre on Wednesday.
“I started with Nishnawbe Aski Nation Legal Corporation in 1996, I think,” she said, smiling.
McKenzie worked for the organization for 18 years before working at Nokiiwin Tribal Council as their access to justice manager.
“It’s actually very exciting . . . seeing how much the corporation has grown over the years, it makes me very proud that we are advancing access to justice in the NAN territory in the way that we are increasing programming,” McKenzie said.
The justice programs provide on-reserve community members with supports for pre-charge diversion, child welfare matters, criminal matters and more, she said.
“We are working towards reducing the incarceration of Indigenous people as well as reducing the number of charges.”
If an on-reserve community member came into a situation where the law is involved, “there’s an opportunity for the matter to be diverted to the community to deal with rather than being charged,” McKenzie said.
If the process is done promptly and successfully, it will work out, she said.
“The person restores balance, harmony and relationship within the community,” McKenzie said. “Then they do not need to be charged at all, which reduces overcharging as well.”
Post-charge, the individual will have the option to go through restorative justice, McKenzie said.
“To be supported by someone who is from the community, who is Indigenous, who is there to support you through restoring the balance, restoring harmony in the community, being able to provide repair of harm.”
“For that to mitigate sentencing where the best possible outcome is that your charge could be withdrawn through the court if you complete all of the community-based recommendations, or mitigate the sentencing to a lesser.”
Having an Indigenous-led legal service is critical for all First Nations and community members.
“The Canadian legal justice system is adversarial to the Indigenous way of being, Indigenous way of justice,” she said.
“Being able to practice our own justice within our communities provides more of a restoration, more of a rehabilitation, and to reduce racism, because people have to look at themselves.”
Indigenous-led law also repairs the relationship with the community, McKenzie said.
“A lot of times, an individual who does something in the legal system, you’re punished, you’re looked at as a really bad person, and it’s not conducive for a person to be well,” she said.
“If we deal with it in our community-based way with an Indigenous legal way, we look to support the person and to build them up and to remind them of their strengths and to know that they are loved.”
“I’ve seen it myself where individuals have gone through Gladue Reports or restorative justice because they’ve heard from community, are supported by community and have been given another chance, have turned their lives completely around.”
Sean Batise, executive director of NAN Legal, is excited to welcome McKenzie back to the not-for-profit.
“Before coming to this role as the interim executive director, I was actually on the board. I remember Jennifer when she was an executive assistant,” he said.
When going through applicants for the job posting, Batise was surprised to see McKenzie.
“It was awesome to get reacquainted and, I think, more to my surprise, although I shouldn’t have been, is how much Jennifer had grown over the years,” he said.
“With her knowledge, education, and her enthusiasm, it’s amazing.”
