Mr. Chairman, the Member points out a problem which arises when people commit offences which are usually committed against another person. For instance, in cases of spousal assault or assault against members of the family or the community, it has been practised for many years that if a person should beat up his common-law wife or his wife, that the wife and the children are taken by Social Services out of the community to ensure their safety and well being. Women have complained about this for many years, wondering why they become further victims of the system. In cases where there is support from the communities and sometimes from the perpetrator, if the offender agrees the best recourse at the time could be an order placed prohibiting that particular offender from being anywhere near the person or the community where they committed that offence, so the community or the persons they have committed an offence against can have some peace and security. In many aboriginal societies, banishment was a common practice, you were no longer welcome in your family or community if you committed crimes of a serious nature, crimes against your own people. Banishment was usually almost fatal because the individual was left out on the land with absolutely no support or contact with people. Banishment is now being revisited by many communities. We have not worked out all the kinks yet. For instance, we expect that many communities will make the
suggestion that they may use the idea of banishment, but provide their own support, facility or program to those people who are banished from the community, so these individuals are not, as in the case of the Deh Cho, unwittingly placed on the streets of Fort Simpson. Communities should be supported when they accept the idea of banishment. Also, we need some support for resources to take care of those people who are banished, before sentencing, if their sentencing included banishment, to help carrying out that sentence. I know the Member is correct, it does create some problems. It bring about problems when we do not carry out this sentence because it creates undeserved hardship on the individuals who become afraid and intimidated as the individual who has committed these crimes is still wandering the streets, sometimes too close for personal comfort and security.