Uncertain future for Restorative Justice Program without funding

Co-ordinator Michelle Laboucane says she, "just cannot understand how the province doesn't see the value in the program."

Restorative justice is a philosophy that focuses on the personal needs of those involved, encouraging the offenders to repair the damage they've caused by making amends. Laboucane argues that the program saves both municipal and provincial governments hundreds of thousands of dollars by keeping first-time offenders out of the court system.

Vice-Chair Dan Davies believes it's time for the province to really understand the benefits of the program.

"By not providing the gaming grant to help keep us operating, to me it's kind of disturbing. It's almost like shooting themselves in the foot.

He adds, "We have some great people out in the community that have been on the recipient side of it… that really feel that this program was much more beneficial than just putting them through the justice system where at the end there's no accountability in many cases."

The program in Fort St. John operates with a budget of $69,000 a year, and runs on one paid employee and several volunteers. The City has also funded the Society $25,000 a year for the past 18 years, and is deciding now whether to fund for another year or not. Mayor Lori Ackerman was also upset about the grant being denied, and has written a letter to the Assistant Deputy Minister for Gaming Grants, wanting to know who is getting gaming money if not Fort St. John.

Even if the Society receives funding from the city again, it's likely that without a grant from the province, it will have to close its doors in five months or so. If the Society's board decides to keep the program open, the number of files taken on would decrease drastically, and Laboucane would be forced to take on the position as a volunteer, and seek employment elsewhere.

More importantly, the follow-up part of the program, which Laboucane believes makes it so successful, would have to be cut. She says she spends approximately three days a week checking in with organizations like the SPCA to ensure that people are doing their obligations as part of the program.
"Not having a full-time person to look after and make sure that these agreements are being completed, I think it would really do a disservice to the program."

Part of the reason the Society's grant was denied is due to the organization having a different fiscal year than the province, and the group not asking for all of its budget from the province. The Society's fiscal year ends in August, not March, so other funding it had received at that point made it look like the program had a huge surplus, when it didn't.

While the decision is going to be appealed, Laboucane hopes some changes will be made to better the gaming grant process. Those include better communication throughout the application process, to better understand what is needed.

"Rather than give us a call and say, 'hey, here's a problem with your constitution', and give us a chance to let us know and fix it, they just say you didn't send your constitution in

She also hopes to see funding split up by region, instead of pre program, so the north can see more money. She, like many others, had hoped the gaming grant review's trip to Fort St. John last August would have brought on changes like that.

The Society must have its appeal in the mail by February 23rd, and will receive a response in 60 days. If denied again, it can take its case to the Deputy Minister in charge of Gaming.