A Flin Flon woman arrested in connection with hate speech charges last year has received her sentence from an indigenous mediation circle.
According to the Canadian Press, the Flin Flon-area woman will serve 80 hours of community service on a First Nation and was given seven conditions based on traditional indigenous law. The woman will have to write an essay on indigenous issues and a formal apology, as well as attend a cultural awareness camp on residential schools.
Instead of having the woman go through the criminal justice system, the Restorative Justice Centre and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) requested that she go through a traditional mediation circle.
“She sees it as an opportunity that will educate her and make her a better person at the end of the day,” said Opaskwayak Cree Nation Onekanew Christian Sinclair to the Canadian Press.
“One of the elders said ‘You are now part of our family because we are going to heal together now going forward.’”
Three women from the Flin Flon/Creighton/Denare Beach area were arrested on suspicion of uttering threats and public incitement of hatred last summer due to Facebook comments calling for a “shoot a Indian day” (sic) and a “24-hour purge” following an act of vandalism. Two of the women took part in the mediation circle in OCN last month. One did not arrive for the session. Manitoba RCMP have stated the Crown will determine the woman’s formal charges.
With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone, Canadian Press
