A recent gala for Justice Department staff in Gatineau kicked off this year’s commemorations for the 50th anniversary of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty and Deputy Grand Chief Norman Wapachee gave motivational speeches about the JBNQA’s transformative impact and how the next 50 years might look. Promotional hats, mugs, journals and a cake honoured Canada’s first modern treaty.
“Each one talked about both the good and the bad that has come with it,” said Donald Nicholls, Director of Justice and Correctional Services. “How resilient we have been in keeping things core to us that make us a distinct people. We thought we’d start the momentum – there will be more celebrations throughout the year.”
Leading up to the official anniversary on November 11, the Cree Nation has launched a website – JBNQA50.com – with an animated video series called “United We Walk” that revisits the treaty’s context, process and outcomes. The second of nine videos was recently released, titled “Only Beavers Can Build Dams.”
The Justice Department also celebrated its 15-year collaboration with the Canadian Institute of Conflict Resolution with a two-day refresher course for staff and a presentation by CICR executive director Daniel Markus. Over 200 Cree people have completed this free 160-hour training program, including the Grand Chief and several other leaders.
“The court system doesn’t resolve conflict within the communities in a holistic way, so we decided to create a course built upon Cree values,” explained Nicholls. “We wanted to empower people, so conflicts don’t have to escalate to courts or arbitration.”
During the partnership’s first two years, CICR trainers learned about Cree values and realities. They designed a culturally centred approach to help resolve conflicts between individuals likely to have frequent encounters. Managers of Cree entities routinely do a four-week program, learning mediation and dialogue-facilitation skills that improve relationships in both the workplace and personal life.
“We have Cree trainers we call peacemakers who are learning from CICR so eventually we could do it all in Cree if we want,” said Nicholls. “We just finished graduating a group from Apatisiiwin Skills Development to help frontline communication, understanding underlying reasons why people may be frustrated or anxious.”
About 80 people from nine Cree communities, along with Montreal and Val-d’Or, attended the gala. Live music accompanied a feast and games while employees Edna Neeposh Jr., Rachel Mattawashish and Marlene Bearskin were honoured for their 10th year of service. Retiring employees Sarah Ottereyes and Anna Neeposh were given a plaque and present.
The department is adding around 30 employees this year as its tiny home initiative is implemented in the four largest Cree communities. Transitional spaces that aid reintegration into community life will open in Mistissini and Waskaganish this spring, then this autumn in Waswanipi and Chisasibi.
“Coming to a tiny home community, you sign a contract that you’ll abide by the violence-free rules there and you’ll participate in all the programming,” Nicholls told the Nation. “In provincial systems, they get no rehabilitation to help them through substance use or anger management issues they may be experiencing.”
The initiative responds to government reports acknowledging inadequate programming for people being released from detention facilities, recommending that communities develop solutions. The DOCJS took the lead with the tiny home project.
Each micro community of 10 tiny homes equipped with essential amenities will be arranged in a circle around a main building that will host transitional services, a kitchen, dining area, two meeting rooms and a workshop space.
The DOJCS and Cree Health Board will designate a nurse and a social worker for each planned community. They also hope to partner with Apatisiiwin to provide skills training and career counsellors.
“We want to create a positive environment for people who want to make a change,” Nicholls said. “It’s taken longer to build than we thought. If we work with people and reduce recidivism, increase community safety and restore some of the harm that was committed, that’s the ultimate goal.”
When the DOJCS was established in 2008, a survey was conducted among all the Cree in the system to analyze root causes of incarceration as well as their skills, needs and aspirations. As most surveyed preferred to work with their hands, Nicholls suggested carpentry and similar vocational programs be introduced in tiny home communities.
Land-based programming will be integral to each project, having proven effective in fostering healthier relationships and deepening connections to the culture. Elders often join DOCJS excursions to the bush and visits to Cree people in provincial prisons, offering guidance and sometimes even cooking traditional food.
Noting that the DOCJS has limited power to support Cree people in the provincial system, Nicholls would like to build halfway houses as an intermediate step for those who have been released from prison but aren’t yet ready for tiny homes. However, this requires staff with the appropriate psychology or social worker degrees.
Some tiny homes have been designated as spaces to address the region’s growing homelessness issue. The DOCJS is currently working with five communities to develop shelter solutions, such as transitional residences. It raises the question of who should be operating these facilities and determining acceptance criteria.
“It’s not any one group that should be responsible,” asserted Nicholls. “All of us need to come together to deal with the underlying causes of homelessness and provide the support necessary for people to transform themselves from that situation to a healthier one.”