Healing is Justice

Colonialism and systemic racism have displaced Indigenous Peoples from their lands and deliberately disconnected them from their cultures and support systems, leaving them with a distorted sense of self.

This has directly contributed to the significant overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the criminal justice system. 

In the region of St. Paul, Alberta, 90% of criminal justice cases involve Indigenous Peoples. This is unacceptable to the educators and students of the First Nation-led University, nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills (Blue Quills University). With four years of building relationships with justice and community stakeholders through the Indigenous Justice Conference, the University is preparing its social work students to lead the charge in addressing these issues in their communities. They will be introducing a cultural healing camp to accompany their Healing to Wellness Court, an initiative developed to help individuals navigate the criminal justice system by addressing the root causes of harm. Building off the impacts made by the Healing Court, the camp will offer land-based teachings, ceremony, and workshops focused on grief and loss, interrupting cycles of trauma, and arts-based healing. A documentary of the experience will also be made, sharing interviews with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, justice partners, and successful participants, to show how culturally grounded approaches can support healing and change.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is amplifying these efforts by providing funding to support the camp and development of the documentary. Through traditional and restorative practices, the camp will become a haven for individuals to break free of the cycle of trauma and begin charting a more hopeful, healthy path to the future. The IRF is honoured to be part of such an initiative.

Diocese of St. Paul