Mi’kmaw, justice partnership helps prevent reoffending through healing

The Mi'kmaw Legal Support Network offers support to First Nations people who come in contact with the justice system.

When a young Mi’kmaw man entered a community circle focused on healing the root causes of pain that led him to encounter legal troubles, one of his caseworkers knew he was on the path to turning his life around.

“He was able to become an advocate, he was able to become on-call, he began his volunteer work, and supporting people with addictions, and it was admirable,” said Mindy Gallant-Zwicker, a customary law program worker with the Mi’kmaw Legal Support Network (MLSN).

With help from MLSN, Landon Morton said he was able to confront and clear his criminal record.

“I remember when I was a client, coming in here and just being talked to like a human being, it made a huge difference. As somebody who was living on the streets, who has addictions concerns,” he said.

Gallant-Zwicker says MLSN provides support to First Nations people in Nova Scotia who need help navigating the justice system in order to move forward with their life in a positive way.

The community organization partners with the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Program to help Indigenous people like Landon Morton work through healing and accountability for their actions.

“So, it’s not about reprimand, it’s about how do we heal them?” she said.

Gallant-Zwicker says MLSN was founded shortly after the Supreme Court of Canada upheld Donald Marshall Jr.’s treaty right to catch and sell fish.