Wednesday, August 11, 2021

94 Quilt: Blocks 29 - 35

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.
Beyond 94 is the CBC-created site that is an ongoing report card monitoring how we are doing with the calls.

Justice (continued)

29. Work collaboratively with plaintiffs not included in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement.
In progress. Projects proposed.
Some students were 'day scholars', meaning they went home at night after spending the day in those 'schools', and were not included in the above settlement. In June 2021, an settlement was reached in a lawsuit but it hasn't yet been approved by the court. More details can be found on Beyond 94 regarding specific dates of settlements. 

30. Eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal people in custody over the next decade.
In progress. Projects proposed.
Facts that may shock you: (source Beyond 94)
  • "As of January 2020, over-representation of Indigenous people in custody has reached a new historic high"
  • "Over the last three decades, 'no government of any stripe has managed to reverse the trend of Indigenous over-representation in Canadian jails and prisons.'"
  • "Indigenous people account for roughly 5% of the population in Canada...they now account for more than 30% of the federal inmate population, up from 25% four years ago."
  • "Indigenous women now account for 42% of women in federal custody."

31. Implement and evaluate community sanctions that will provide realistic alternatives to imprisonment.
In progress. Projects proposed.
In February 2021, the government introduced Bill C-22, proposed legislation that would repeal certain mandatory minimum penalties. As of June, it has only undergone second reading and will die and have to be restarted if there is a fall election.
When I taught Grade 7 English Language Arts, we studied the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, (highly recommend reading this YA book), and I learned along with my students about the powerful Restorative Justice that Indigenous peoples practise. The Liberal government committed $120.7 million to address the over-representation aforementioned, and of that, $55.5 million was committed over five years to the Indigenous Justice Program, which funds community-based justice programs that use this restorative justice practice.

32. Amend the criminal code to allow trial judges to depart from mandatory minimum sentences.
In progress. Projects proposed.

33. Develop FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) preventative programs that can be delivered in a culturally appropriate manner.
Not started.


34. Undertake reforms to the criminal justice system to better address the needs of offenders with FASD.
In progress. Projects proposed.
"In March 2019, Manitoba opened a sentencing court specifically for offenders with FASD - Canada's first. Within less than a year it had tripled the time set aside for hearings due to high volume."
In September 2019, Yukon (in partnership with the U of Regina and the FASD Network of Saskatchewan) started a "Navigator-Advocates" program.

35. Eliminate barriers to the creation of additional Aboriginal healing lodges within the federal correctional system.
In progress. Projects proposed.
One new lodge was announced in 2019, the second specifically for Indigenous women. This makes ten such healing lodges; however, the other nine were all launched before the 2015 TRC report. There is not enough of them according to the 2016 Auditor General's report. 

Sites, Articles, Books of Interest
  • Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen (as mentioned above)
  • I've heard Shawnee Kish's new song, 'Burnin' Love' a few times on CBC, and decided to look her up. Here is an interesting article on Kids Help Phone, which in itself, is an organization I just learned about: "a national charity that operates three counselling centres and offers community engagement initiatives through staff and volunteers across Canada....supporting youth mental health..."
  • I watched Indian Horse this past week. Although I thought the book was better (which is 99.9% the case imho), the film was excellent too. Highly recommend.

I've been doing a little sewing, though not much. I do have a finish, which has been delivered to Brady, but I'm trying to update the pattern from which I made it so that I can promote that at the same time as show you just what I made for him. He loves it, and so do I; it's been a while in my head, so it was nice to have it come to life!


 

3 comments:

  1. I've enjoyed seeing some of your red fabrics, some of which I think I may have used in the past too & wondering how it will all come together. Look forward to seeing Brady's quilt when you've updated the pattern. Take care & hugs.

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  2. I too would love to see Brady's quilt. Great post!

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  3. Thank you for this series - the record in Australia is about the same.

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