Status of Women committee  I think that is undisputed, that it's very necessary, and addressing these sorts of really huge issues with resources must lead to a positive impact on the incarceration rate.

Status of Women committee  Adequate legal representation or positive legal representation for women who are being charged with serious offences? For certain, yes.

Status of Women committee  I think Gladue reporting is very necessary. The problem is, it's not translating into any kind of positive solution on sentencing or on decisions that are made after sentencing. People are talking about it and there's lots of consideration of it, but clearly, given the numbers we're talking about, it's not translating into positive decisions for aboriginal people.

Status of Women committee  Absolutely.

Status of Women committee  That's a very difficult question, as I'm sure you realize. Over-incarceration is epidemic, so not directing resources to address that current problem is very concerning, but at the same time, you're right, the systemic issues that are leading to the incarceration are problematic as well.

Status of Women committee  That answer would have to be “certainly”. Increased representation of indigenous people on the police force must be a positive in terms of impacting on the culture that indigenous women would be experiencing, so directing resources toward that innovation would be an important venture for certain.

Status of Women committee  I would never say no to education. The problem is that, if education hasn't assisted.... Again I can only go back to the thing I know best, which is the Correctional Service of Canada, and there has been lots of education, and the changes have not been happening.

Status of Women committee  I can't imagine how that wouldn't be a necessary thing.

Status of Women committee  I believe that for decision-making within the Correctional Service, there are a lot of references to Gladue factors and paying attention to Gladue factors. As was mentioned earlier to the committee, I think these factors are considered, as they have to be, for every Correctional Service decision that is made for these prisoners.

Status of Women committee  In terms of their responses to that victimization, is that what you mean?

Status of Women committee  In terms of the prisoners we deal with, which is the male population, it looks like a lot of trust issues for anyone who's involved in the current system because the system has not assisted them. There are often mental health concerns that aren't being appropriately addressed. Even the processes that are explained to them can be very foreign to them.

Status of Women committee  I can only speak to the things that I have mentioned, which is the intergenerational trauma, the abuse, the violence that they are subject to, which I'm sure is a lot about the economic state that they're facing. They're obviously particularly vulnerable in light of all of the factors that they're experiencing in terms of employment, concerns with policing, poverty, inadequate housing.

Status of Women committee  We provide assistance to male prisoners, actually. We deal with male aboriginal prisoners as well, obviously. They're also overrepresented. We currently don't provide assistance to female prisoners because of our geographical location.

Status of Women committee  It is a mandatory section in the act. The act uses mandatory language. I think there needs to be oversight of the Correctional Service to ensure that those processes become much more straightforward, that they become much more emphasized, and that they are put into action. It does involve resources.

Status of Women committee  I think access to legal representation is always important. I certainly won't dispute that, but I think it's a much bigger problem than that.