About The Program...
In response to the general dissatisfaction of the Western Judicial System – the
Unlocking Aboriginal Justice Program proposal was developed and implemented in
1992. Cost shared by Department of Justice – Canada & Attorney General, British
Columbia Government. The Wet’suwet’en Unlocking Aboriginal Justice Program
(WUAJ) is a community-driven restorative justice project initiated and operated by
members of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation.
The Wet’suwet’en territory is located in Northwest British Columbia, Canada. There
are approximately 5000+ people lining in the Wet’suwet’en Nation. The word
Wet’suwet’en, means people of the lower drainage. The Wet’suwet’en Territories are
defined by the Bulkley River drainage, the headwaters of the Fraser River drainage,
and the Babine Lake drainage.
The process of the justice system we have is within the Traditional Territories and
not a matter of creating a new system, but rather a matter of UNCOVERING our
LAWS AND PRACTICES and having them RECOGNIZED.
In the Wet’suwet’en system, both the offender and the victim are drawn into the
process. The Western justice system concentrates on the offender; usually the only
victim involvement consists of providing a victim impact statement. In the
Wet’suwet’en approach, decisions are made by consensus, aiming to restore balance
and harmony in a fair, just way.
“Because our relationships and our kinship within the Wet’suwet’en nation, we’re all
connected to each other one way or another, and those are the people that are making the
decisions. They know our strengths and weaknesses, and they know the dynamics of the
families and what the issues are without trying to analyze it by justice system reports—
criminal records, police reports and so on.”
- Bonnie George
Community Accountability Panel
We have drawn from our own experiences through, work and continual learning.
The Western Justice System has been very successful in standing in the way in our
efforts in dealing with our problems. The ultimate responsibility for justice relies on
all of us, as House members, as Wet’suwet’en.
All clients must be involved in the WUAJ program by voluntary consent and be
willing to take responsibility for their actions. When all parties have accepted the
referral, a house group meeting is scheduled for the development of adequate
support and construction of a rehabilitation plan, or contract. All parties (offender,
victim, clan and family) must reach a consensus as to the terms of the contract. An
agreement for services is drawn and signed by all parties. Copies of the contract
agreement of services are distributed to the members involved. If the participant is
sentenced to serve a term of probation, the WUAJ justice worker supervises the
court order. If the client re-offends, a house group meeting is scheduled to address
the concerns, either by redesigning the plan of action or terminating the file. The
advisory board determines if the file is closed and referred back to the referring
agency.
The contract may require that the offender participate in a culture camp. Culture
camps educate children, youth and adults about Wet’suwet’en culture and traditions
through guidance and counsel by elders and hereditary chiefs, including instruction
in legends, songs and dancing, as well as traditional hunting and food preparation.
An important component of Wet’suwet’en justice is the denii ne’aas, or potlatch
(feast), “a powerful traditional governing system for us,” said George. At a potlatch,
which is sometimes attended by hundreds of people, all the clans and chiefs come
together and a public apology is made.
The Wet'suwet'en Unlocking Aboriginal Justice Program has gone over and above
their call of duty by providing opportunity for change within the 8 communities they
service. The WUAJ program has contributed to a number of programs with their
intervention and prevention services ie. providing internet cyberbullying workshop
for elementary to high school students, sexual abuse prevention to children ages 7 -
12, respectful relationship training to men charged with domestic abuse who were
court ordered to attend and also various teen group sessions.
WUAJ offers a wide range of topics of discussion for youth including but not limited
to; consequences of hosting parties with minors, Sexual intimacy with minors, self-
esteem workshops, and signs of abuse in relationships.
Our Mission:
In partnership with the Canadian justice system, we are committed to strengthening and enhancing our Wet’suwet’en traditions and laws to restore peace and balance in our Nation