First Nations, community groups and government agencies will come together to develop a process to review domestic violence deaths in the province.
Justice Minister Gordon Wyant says the problem must be addressed as part of a broad, long-term strategy to curb domestic violence in Saskatchewan.
He says working with the community to understand underlying issues is important.
Wyant says First Nations will play a major role in developing new policies.
“We need to ensure that First Nations are a significant part of this committee,” he says. “We are not going to exclude them, there is a significant issue of domestic violence and deaths in First Nations communities, so they will be a big part of the process.”
Wyant says the government will also look to what is being done in other provinces, like Ontario, which has programs and services in place in remote areas with large aboriginal populations similar to northern Saskatchewan.
This week has been declared “Violence Prevention Week” in Saskatchewan. It is the second year for the proclamation.