Minister Helen Conway Ottenheimer seeks to adapt Kenora, London community initiatives for NL
Robin Fowler, chief judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Helen Conway Ottenheimer, NL’s justice and public safety minister, have concluded their tour of Ontario’s local courts in an effort to strengthen their own province’s justice system.
According to a news release from NL’s Department of Justice and Public Safety, Fowler and Conway Ottenheimer met with Doug Downey, Ontario attorney general, and justice centre administrators during the visit, which spanned court locations and facilities across both northern and southern Ontario.
“It was a pleasure to welcome Newfoundland and Labrador Minister Conway Ottenheimer and Chief Judge Fowler to Ontario for very productive discussions on strengthening access to justice and supporting safer communities,” Downey said in the news release.
“Our government is committed to strengthening the justice system by looking at gold standard models in other jurisdictions,” Conway Ottenheimer said. “By visiting the Ontario courts, we gained valuable insight into approaches that could be beneficial for the Provincial Court.”
“I thank Minister Conway Ottenheimer for her interest and willingness to engage in meaningful consultation to strengthen the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador,” Fowler added.
Kenora and London programs
In the justice department’s news release, Conway Ottenheimer expressed that she was impressed with the innovative court models in Kenora and London, including:
- the Kenora Justice Centre’s Indigenous restorative justice initiatives and community-led supports for mental health, addictions, housing, and education
- the London Justice Centre’s achievement of reducing recidivism through multi-departmental supports that target housing instability, mental health issues, addictions, and other root causes of offences among at-risk young adults and individuals within the justice system
“We were pleased to share Ontario’s experience with our world-class justice centre model and other innovative approaches, including our historic courts digital transformation initiative, and we look forward to continuing to work together and share best practices that strengthen justice systems and deliver better outcomes for the people we serve,” Downey said.
NL’s justice department noted that the community engagement initiatives modelled in Kenora and London can assist in:
- tackling the justice system’s ongoing issues
- holding individuals accountable
- decreasing the risk of further contact with the justice system
- healing communities and victims affected by crime
“Our recent review of the Ontario Community Courts has allowed us to study a system that has demonstrated positive outcomes,” Fowler said. “Specifically, there is a marked decrease in the number of people who reoffend and adoption of a trauma-informed approach that supports both the complainants and the accused.”
Conway Ottenheimer is collaborating with the Provincial Court Working Group to examine how they may adapt approaches implemented in Ontario courts to the NL justice system’s specific needs.
“The Ontario Attorney General, judges, lawyers and Crown Attorneys provided fantastic advice,” Conway Ottenheimer said. “I look forward to exploring how these models may complement existing court operations, improve the courts, and help build safer communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
