Statement made on 20 October 2009 by Senator Lillian Eva Dyck
Hon. Lillian Eva Dyck:
I would like to make a few comments with respect to this bill. I come from Saskatchewan, and I think Senator Baker was right on. The Saskatchewan prisons are full of Aboriginal people, men and women. I believe this bill will have a disproportionate effect upon them. I do not believe, as has been pointed out earlier, that keeping people in prison longer will reduce crime. It will not do that.
In Saskatchewan, even though sentencing circles for Aboriginal peoples can be found within the criminal justice system, justice has not been delivered to Aboriginal peoples. There is systemic discrimination. There are cultural differences. We know that the Aboriginal population is overrepresented in prisons. We know that the Aboriginal peoples suffer from poverty, and the social factors drive many of our people into the prison system. I do not believe this bill will change the situation, so I am in favour of the amendments.
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