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Backgrounder
Cities Project for Aboriginal Youth (Winnipeg)
The Cities Project for Aboriginal Youth contributes to and marshals existing federal,
provincial and community resources and programs to develop a collaborative approach to Aboriginal
youth at risk and in conflict with the law.
In the September 2002 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada made a commitment to
support Aboriginal communities, building on its previous mandate to significantly reduce the number
of Aboriginal people entering the criminal justice system so that within a generation, it is not
higher than the Canadian average.
The Government of Canada introduced its Youth Justice Renewal Initiative as a broad
multi-disciplinary approach to addressing youth crime. It has three key policy directions:
- Prevention
- Meaningful consequences for youth crime
- Rehabilitation and reintegration to help youth return to their communities
Canada's current approach to youth crime has been over-reliant on the formal justice system and
on custody. This is particularly important in the case of Aboriginal youth, given their
over-representation in the youth justice system. The new Youth Criminal Justice Act which will
come into force on April 1, 2003, provides that "within the limits of fair and proportionate
accountability", measures taken should "respond to the needs of Aboriginal young
persons".
The Cities Project is a response to the One-Day Snapshot of Aboriginal Youth in Custody Across
Canada (see backgrounder, attached). It is being launched in Winnipeg because the Snapshot report
reveals a significant Western urban problem of Aboriginal youth in custody, including in Winnipeg.
The Department of Justice Canada, through its Youth Justice Policy branch, will contribute up to
two million dollars to the Cities Project in Winnipeg to support our goal of significantly reducing
the percentage of Aboriginal young people entering the criminal justice system. Expansion of the
Cities Project to Thunder Bay, Ontario is under consideration.
The Department of Justice Canada has worked closely with the Manitoba Department of Justice and
the City of Winnipeg in developing the Cities Project. Their commitment and participation, along
with that of federal partners Human Resources Development Canada, Canadian Heritage, the RCMP, the
Solicitor General, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, National Defence, Industry Canada and the
National Crime Prevention Centre, has been critical to its successful launch.
The Cities Project got under way in Winnipeg after consultations with community partners,
provincial government officials, police services, community Elders, and youth to identify their
needs. Community and youth involvement in the development of the project, along with an accurate
picture of existing services and programs available to youth in conflict with the law, were
identified as priorities.
A community advisory board and a youth advisory board have been established to provide direction
to the Cities Project in Winnipeg. An accurate community map of existing programs and services
available to Aboriginal youth in conflict with the law has been developed into a useful tool. Two
key positions have been staffed: a Project Implementation Coordinator, Constable Rick Kosowan, on
loan from the Winnipeg Police Service, and a Youth Outreach Worker, Elder Art Shofley.
Examples of programs in Winnipeg funded through the Cities Project include:
- The CP 1879 Youth Diversion Project seeks to provide a community restorative and Aboriginal
approach to youth justice.
- A project by the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres for employment preparation for
Aboriginal youth who are, or are likely to be, in conflict with the law.
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January 2003
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