By Canadian Press

Federal government expected to announce details of Black justice strategy

Feb 15, 2023 | 8:36 AM

OTTAWA — Justice Minister David Lametti’s office says he will announce today that the long-awaited Black justice strategy will be developed by a committee of community leaders. 

The Liberal government committed to creating the strategy in the 2021 election campaign after advocacy groups and the United Nations pointed out systemic racism in the criminal justice system.   

Black people are overrepresented in Canadian jails, making up about eight per cent of those in prison despite making up less than four per cent of the overall population. 

The House of Commons public safety committee also recommended creating a national strategy to address those disproportionately high rates of incarceration in a 2021 report. 

Lametti is expected to announce who will be responsible for helping develop the Black justice strategy later this afternoon.

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His office has said the goal is for Black Canadians to have access to fair treatment before the law. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2023. 

The Canadian Press