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Faith Myers (left) and Samantha-Jo Dick of the Yeqox Nilin Justice Society stand outside the Williams Lake Courthouse. The society is one of 23 organizations receiving emergency sexual assault services funding grants through the Ending Violence Association of BC. (Rebecca Dyok photo) Nearly two decades after funding was cut to all BC Sexual Assault Centres, the Ending Violence Association of BC (EVA BC) hopes a new funding grant program it is administering will start to fill the gaps.
Executive director Tracy Porteous said the B.C. Government agreed last March to provide $10-million to EVA BC to administer a three-year emergency sexual assault services grant program which will help organizations deliver community-based emergency sexual assault response services that are trauma-informed and culturally appropriate. ....
Historic Day For Yeqox Nilin Justice Society In Williams Lake SHARE ON: Elder Mary Alphonse from WLFN and Sandra Dickson from Spuzzum (Photo submitted by Yeqox Nilin Justice Society) After a six-year process, the Yeqox Nilin Justice Society finally got to celebrate the opening of the Williams Lake Indigenous Court today. It was a virtual soft opening with representatives of local First Nations, Attorney General David Eby, and BC’s Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie all taking part. Gillespie said “It’s been a long road and that there have been many people involved walking together with one goal to create a better way of doing justice. One that does not just make room for Indigenous peoples, but one that embraces the wisdom of our elders and acknowledges that in this journey of reconciliation together we can promote the importance of healing”. ....
Williams Lake Indigenous Court To Hold Soft Opening Friday SHARE ON: Elder- Joan Gentles Cultural Leader- Peyal Laceese Elders Coordinator- Faith Myers Photo submitted by Yeqox Nilin Justice Society After a six-year process, the Williams Lake Indigenous Court will be holding a virtual soft opening this Friday. Samantha-Jo Dick, Executive Director of the Yeqox Nilin Justice Society, said due to COVID-19 they were unable to have their grand opening as planned back in May and explained what viewers will see during this virtual opening. “Prerecorded videos of our Elders getting blanketed in their communities, Chief speeches, as well as the Chief Judge and Attorney General coming in via Zoom live to give their speech so we hope that this sets off our Elders in a good way with our ceremony and prepare them for the next few months to come”. ....
Yeqox Nilin Justice Society has worked towards establishing such a court within the Williams Lake area for the past six years. The specialized court does not conduct trials, but provides collaborative and holistic sentencing to assist offenders in rehabilitation while reducing their tendency to re-offend and acknowledging and repairing the harm done to victims and the community, noted B.C’s Provincial Court. Friday’s soft opening on Youtube will feature prerecorded videos of the nine court elders taking part in blanketing ceremonies held last week. “I’m happy to assist in whatever way I can to see our people continue healing,” said Tl’esqox elder Joan Gentles who wore a ribbon skirt and cowboy hat while she was blanketed at the Tsilhqot’in National Government s South Lakeside office in Williams Lake. ....
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