After a six-year process, the Williams Lake Indigenous Court will be holding a virtual soft opening this Friday.
Samantha-Jo Dick, Executive Director of the Yeqox Nilin Justice Society, said due to COVID-19 they were unable to have their grand opening as planned back in May and explained what viewers will see during this virtual opening.
“Prerecorded videos of our Elders getting blanketed in their communities, Chief speeches, as well as the Chief Judge and Attorney General coming in via Zoom live to give their speech so we hope that this sets off our Elders in a good way with our ceremony and prepare them for the next few months to come”.
Dick said the process to get Williams Lake Indigenous Court to where it is now, took six years and has been well received.
“We’ve gotten a lot of support from First Nations and Non First Nations, we meet bi-weekly as a planning table that consists of RCMP, Probation, Front line workers, Community Representatives, First Nations Representatives, as well as the ongoing support from our local Judges and Crown Counsel. It’s been a blessing to have that much support and backing on this in this area”.
The first court sitting will follow the virtual soft opening Friday afternoon will be held every first Thursday starting in January.
Dick said to view the soft opening there is a YouTube link that is on the Yeqox Nilin Justice Society Facebook where you click on it to watch it live starting at 10 am this Friday.
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