Kahtou 0004
Oct. 2000

REGINA - Federal Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay announced that a land transfer designation grants the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) use of reserve land to construct and operate a haling lodge for Aboriginal men. The lodge will be built on the Beardyıs and Okemasis Reserve, located immediately west of Duck Lake, approximately 90 kilometres north of Saskatoon. Once constructed, the lodge will accommodate 40 minimum-security Aboriginal men serving federal sentences.

While CSC will initially be responsible for the administration of correction services to offenders incarcerated at the healing lodge, it fully intends to enter into an agreement with Beardyıs and Okemasis First Nation that will transfer responsibility for the care, custody, and release of offenders to this reserve community. Authority for the agreement falls under Section 81 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. "Aboriginal people continue to be over-represented in our prisons.Initiatives such as these seek to address the problem by directly involving First Nations communities in the reintegration process," said Minister MacAulay. "I look forward to working with the Beardyıs and Okemasis First Nation as we begin this important venture together."

"This initiative reaffirms the partnership between our community and the Correctional Services of Canada," said Chief Gary Littlepine. "It also provides the people of Beardyıs and Okemasis First Nation with an opportunity to further assist in the healing and rehabilitation of Aboriginal offenders."

"Granting CSC use of reserve lands will enable federally sentenced Aboriginal men to serve their sentences in an environment that is compatible with their cultural and linguistic needs. By offering programs and services tailored to the needs of Aboriginal offenders, CSC will improve the likelihood that they will successfully reintegrate into the community," said the Honourable Robert Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

"I am very pleased the land transfer designation has been accepted. The construction of this new facility responds to an identified gap in services for Aboriginal offenders," said the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Natural Resources and Regional Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan.