KENORA, Ont -- Ontario's Attorney General was in Kenora this Wednesday morning to announce the province's plan to speed up and provide fairer justice in the Northwest.
Yasir Naqvi said the province will be rolling out several initiatives aimed at providing more legal resources in the region.
The province will hire two new assistant Crown attorneys in Kenora, along with two extra lawyers to oversee the bail process in that community.
The province also announced it will provide 20 bail beds in Thunder Bay for people awaiting trial, who require enhanced supervision in the community.
There will also be improvements in bail verification in Thunder Bay and other parts of the region.
“We have been working closely with Indigenous friendship centres, Grand Council Treaty 3, Nishnawbe Aski legal services and First Nation communities to develop a unique Indigenous bail verification program across northern Ontario,” Naqvi said during the announcement.
“These programs are built to provide services for Indigenous peoples by incorporating culturally appropriate programming, treaty and case management, so they can remain in their community while awaiting trial.”
Naqvi says these initiatives were made possible through cooperation with several indigenous groups.
(TBT News)
