NAN Legal victim witness liaison program expands

Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation has expanded its Victim Witness Liaison Program to Sioux Lookout and Timmins through Department of Justice funding.
“For the past five years we have had one victim witness liaison worker located in Thunder Bay with no travel dollars,” said Celina Reitberger, executive director of NALSC. “The expansion has meant that we will have one (victim witness liaison worker) in Timmins who will serve the Wabun and the James Bay coast communities and one (victim witness liaison worker) in Sioux Lookout who will serve all of the communities in the west.”
Caroline Ignace-Spade, the new victim witness liaison worker in Sioux Lookout, has already travelled to work with people in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Wunnumin and Weagamow since joining NALSC in June.
“I’ve been supporting them a great deal and I’ve actually encouraged many of them to get counselling,” Ignace-Spade said. “People really think there is a big taboo on counselling, but it’s not. It’s just there to get some pressure off you and to see things clearly and go forward in your life.”
Ignace-Spade, who previously worked as a courtworker for Nishnawbe Gamik Friendship Centre for two years, said her main roles are to provide information, support and court accompaniment.
“With the friendship centre work, you tried to help as many as you can,” Ignace-Spade said. “I’m kind of like in the same role, but now I have to concentrate on the victim. My job is to focus on the victims and if they want to go through the trial, to get through that process. It’s very hard for them sometimes.”
Ignace-Spade encourages victims to go through the court process because any violence they are suffering will continue if not dealt with.
“If you expose it, then people can get help,” Ignace-Spade said. “They’ll see the light of what is going on and hopefully get help.”
NALSC held an opening ceremony for the new Sioux Lookout position on Sept. 19 at the Sioux Lookout office.
“She is already getting referrals and she has been doing a lot of community development, going into communities and letting people know she is there,” Reitberger said. “We’re very pleased that she has hit the ground running and is out there.”
Susan Chokomolin is the new victim witness liaison worker in Timmins.
“As more and more people are victimized and more serious crimes are committed, there is more of a need for someone to help the witnesses and the victims,” Reitberger said. “For example, our worker here (in Thunder Bay) had 23 referrals of victims in one case of a homicide, so she goes to court and tries to help all of those people who are there as witnesses.”
Reitberger said the Thunder Bay victim witness liaison worker, Michelle Donio-King, travels to courts in Geraldton and Longlac as well as some of the Matawa First Nations fly-in communities.