MNO Community Justice Services Program
The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Healing & Wellness Branch is pleased to offer a wide variety of services through the MNO Justice Program. The MNO Justice Program is a multi-pronged program consisting of various internal resources that collaborate to facilitate access to justice for MNO citizens. MNO citizens seeking legal advice can receive support through the provision of justice services and supports. Through the generosity of our funding partners, including the Law Foundation of Ontario (LFO), Pro Bono Ontario (PBO) and Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG), this Program allows the MNO to offer the following to MNO citizens, free of charge:
- Access to alternatives to the criminal justice system through restorative justice practices;
- Access to legal information to gain a fulsome understanding of legal options and avenues;
- Through access to the Justice Services Coordinator, we provide legal information directly and assist clients in accessing legal resources to address their matters though our growing partnerships with PBO and the Justice Network.
Through the delivery of the MNO Justice Program, legal services are now within reach of the Métis community in Ontario. The MNO is able to make legal services and information attainable through brief services, legal information, and supportive warm referrals.
CONTACT: To access legal information, assistance with understanding various court and tribunal processes, general information about the law, information about various court and tribunal forms, and court and tribunal rules, please contact the MNO’s Liaison Coordinator by email at justice@metisnation.org or by phone at 1-800-263-4889.
Community Diversion Program
The MNO has also developed a Community Diversion Program for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis adults and youth who are undergoing criminal prosecution in the Peel Region, Durham Region, and Newmarket jurisdictions.
The MNO’s Community Diversion Program, funded by the Ministry of Attorney General, offers an alternatives to sentencing for Indigenous peoples through the services that promote conflict resolution and reintegration into the community. A Community Justice Council, made up of volunteers from Ontario Métis communities, support individuals to accept responsibility for their actions through active engagement with Indigenous members of their community. MNO representatives help facilitate interventions at the arrest, pre-charge, bail, sentencing, and post-conviction stages. .
CONTACT: Individuals in conflict with the law, either in-custody or otherwise, can access these services by contacting the MNO’s Community Restorative Justice Coordinator by email at justice@metisnation.org or by phone at 1-800-263-4889. Individuals who are interested in volunteering their time to support this program and making a difference in their communities should also contact us using these details for more information.
Updated: December 3, 2021