MEDIA ADVISORY - Ontario's Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth release Feathers of Hope, Justice and Juries: A First Nations Youth Action Plan for Justice

TORONTO and OTTAWA, March 4, 2016 /CNW/ - The Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth will release Feathers of Hope, Justice and Juries: A First Nations Youth Action Plan for Justice on March 7 at simultaneous news conferences at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and Parliament Hill.

The report reflects the voices of more than 150 Aboriginal youth from across Ontario who gathered in Thunder Bay in November 2014 to address the under-representation of First Nations people on juries and share their experiences with the justice system. At the end of the youth forum, they met with First Nations leadership, provincial, federal and municipal government, police service representatives and others to share the outcomes of their discussions and ideas for improving the justice system and jury process.

The Feathers of Hope: Justice and Juries youth forum was held at the request of former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Frank Iacobucci who authored a report on the under-representation of First Nations people on jury panels. The under-representation of Aboriginal people on juries has contributed to lengthy delays in criminal trials and inquest proceedings. In Thunder Bay, a coroner's inquest into the deaths of seven Aboriginal teens is underway, but only after a lengthy three-year delay due to a lack of Aboriginal jurors.

Event Details

Date:	Monday, March 7, 2016
Time:	9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (EST)
Location:	Media Studio, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 111 Wellesley St. West, Toronto
	National Press Theatre, 150 Wellington Street, Ottawa
Who:	Irwin Elman, Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth (in Toronto)
	Laura Arndt, Director of Advocacy Services, Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth (in Ottawa)
	Youth representatives involved with Feathers of Hope

Note: Media must be accredited in advance of attending the news conference.

For the National Press Theatre, contact Marc Fortier at: [email protected]

For the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, contact Gerald Christopher at: Room 387A, [email protected], 416-325-7922

About the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth
The Office of the Provincial Advocate reports directly to the Legislature and provides an independent voice for children and youth, including those in youth criminal justice facilities, mental health, development services, children's treatment services, children with special needs and First Nations children. The advocates receive and respond to concerns from children, youth and families who are seeking or receiving services under the Child and Family Services Act and the Education Act (Provincial and Demonstration Schools).

The Office is guided by the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has a strong commitment to youth involvement. For more information, visit: www.provincialadvocate.ca. For updates, read the Advocate's Blog and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth

Media Contact: Akihiko Tse, Communications, Media Relations Coordinator, Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, (416)-325-5994, [email protected]