New Indigenous-led justice centre opens in Kenora
An Indigenous-led centre has opened in Kenora, connecting people to social services with an Indigenous approach.
The Kenora Justice Centre is the latest of four Justice Centres in Ontario. This centre, led by partnering local Indigenous groups, focuses on both criminal and restorative justice.
"If we don't get it right as a community, everybody, we all suffer," Elder Barney Batise said during the Centers opening.
He says Indigenous people need to connect with teachings as they work through difficulties.
"They become lost and they become victims of circumstance."
People at the centre are hoping to make Kenora safer by addressing issues that could lead to crime.
The new space is offering Indigenous-led supports for people facing trauma, addictions, and homelessness.
"This building here today is going to give people an entirely different experience around justice," Ontario Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford said.
There's also a working courtroom.
"This benefits all justice system participants as a whole," Lise Maisonneuve, Ontario Court of Justice's Chief Justice, said.
People will reconnect with Indigenous teachings through the centre - something Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Derek Fox says will be key for Indigenous youth.
"That's what we have on our side: time. Generational change but hard work and unity also which is happening at the justice centre," Fox said.
The justice center expects to begin seeing its impact in six months.
Business owner and longtime Kenora resident Michelle Livingstone wants to see more action taken to spot and prevent crime in Kenora. She was attacked in her store, Island Girl, two months ago, saying she does not feel safe.
"Now my employees ask to go grab a bite to eat for lunch and I'm concerned for them," Livingstone said.
She says she now keeps her store door locked, saying other downtown businesses do the same.
Livingstone says she's seen more police downtown but wants more to be done.
Ontario Provincial Police's Kenora detachment commander, Jeff Duggan, is hopeful the center will make a difference.
"I just hope that it gives people the opportunity to make change. To get the services that they need," Duggan said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | U.S. President Joe Biden touches down in Ottawa
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived Thursday evening in Ottawa for a whirlwind 27-hour visit expected to focus on both the friendly and thorny aspects of the Canada-U.S. relationship, including protectionism and migration on both sides of the border.

Trudeau, Biden could agree to end 'loophole' in Safe Third Country Agreement: CP source
Canada and the United States are negotiating a deal that could see asylum seekers turned back at irregular border crossings across the border, including Roxham Road in Quebec.
Eastern Ont. mayor wants more help from feds to manage influx of asylum seekers, supports STCA renegotiation
As the federal government looks to renegotiate the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S., an eastern Ontario mayor says his city needs more help from Ottawa to deal with the influx of asylum seekers arriving through irregular crossings like Roxham Road.
Opposition parties affirm call for interference inquiry, amid questions over MP Han Dong
Amid renewed questions over the pervasiveness of alleged interference by China in Canadian elections and affairs broadly, opposition MPs voted Thursday afternoon to affirm a parliamentary committee's call for the federal government to strike a public inquiry.
'Scream as loud as you can': 5 boys rescued from NYC tunnel
Five mischievous boys had to be rescued after they crawled through a storm drain tunnel in New York City and got lost, authorities said.
Make sure to check your grocery bill otherwise you may pay more: Survey
A majority of Canadians have seen a mistake on their grocery receipts in the last year, according to a new survey conducted by Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
Asteroid to hurtle past Earth closer than the moon this weekend
An asteroid discovered just last week will pass closer to the Earth than the orbit of the moon this weekend, an occurrence so rare it happens only once in a decade, according to NASA.
Number of Canadians receiving EI at record lows, down 44 per cent from last year: StatCan
The number of Canadians receiving employment insurance benefits are at record lows and down 44 per cent from last year, new figures from Statistics Canada show.
Indigenous sisters developing video games to revitalize Mohawk language
Two Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk) sisters from Montreal are on a mission that is close to their hearts: to save their ancestors' first language by developing video games young and old can play.