Ceremony held at site of new courthouse

The Aug. 21 cleansing ceremony at the future site of the Thunder Bay Consolidated Courthouse may be a first in Ontario, said Attorney General Chris Bentley.
“In many ways it is a ground-breaking ceremony,” Bentley said after Nishnawbe Aski Nation Elder Josias Fiddler completed the cleansing ceremony around the empty lots along the north side of the Victoriaville Centre in Thunder Bay. “There are some traditions of the past in justice that we would like to break with.”
Bentley said Ontario has been working hard over the last number of years on its approach to justice issues relating to Aboriginal people.
“This ceremony makes it clear that we want to strengthen our approach in the future,” Bentley said. “It is a very powerful ceremony and a very powerful signal.”
Darrell Mandamin, a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee for the Consolidated Courthouse, said the ceremony was just one part of the Elder’s sanctioning of the Thunder Bay Consolidated Courthouse.
“The courthouse needs to be sanctioned by the Elders,” Mandamin said. “When I say sanctioned, that means doing the right thing from day one, doing the proper ceremonies, consulting with the Elders, following directions. Even when the courthouse is completed, the Elders will participate in some way.”
Although it had been raining throughout the day up to and including during most of the pre-ceremony speeches and blanket giveaways, the rain stopped just in time for the cleansing ceremony walk with a smudge around the whole courthouse grounds.
“This is an example of doing things the right way – the Creator blessed us today to stop the rain for a little while for the ceremony,” Mandamin said. “It’s a good sign.”
Bentley said his ministry has been working “very hard” with the Aboriginal Advisory Committee on the design of the courthouse.
“One of the things they have been talking about that we would like to do is there be a special place in the courthouse so we can bring Aboriginal justice traditions directly to those who are before our system of justice,” Bentley said.
Mandamin said the courthouse will include 19 courtrooms and an Aboriginal conference room.
“The Aboriginal conference room will be the focal point of the building,” Mandamin said, explaining the room will be a place for Aboriginal people who are involved in the justice system. “When they walk in the building they will see the design is Aboriginal ... and they will walk in and say ‘Maybe it is time to take responsibility,’ only because of the environment they are in.”
Fiddler, also a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, said the Aboriginal conference room could be used for circles for people who are referred down from the courts.
“We will provide the guidance for those people,” he said. “Instead of punishing our children, we spend that extra time with them counselling them, talking to them. We discipline them with kindness as opposed to them being punished by being sent off to places where you’re locked up. That is not our way. Our way of course is to work with the young people.”