Cross- Disciplinary
Studies 6

Conflict Resolution, Leadership
and Aboriginal Programs

f | n February 2008, Pam White and Nym Hughes from
the Centre for Conflict Resolution flew to the Yukon

i to celebrate the culmination of a unique partnership
between the JIBC and the Carcross/Tagish First Nation
that had begun two years earlier. Less than an hour’s
drive south of Whitehorse, Carcross—a settlement with
buildings that date back more than 100 years to the
Klondike Gold Rush—sits in a large mountain-ringed Grevusies vpa Centre Insirsciar Desa ivicNuley

valley beside Lake Bennett. The spectacular location I Co*flic: Sesolitior—— <nnove) cyacinas 0
eer hed the stenth fth course, lesiuned with sianenis hia confiict
pertectly matched the significance of the event. the Carernssy’lagish resolution rele-nlay

White was there as Director of the JIBC’s Community and Social = “ist Nations, nose for SCEANIIO.
Justice Division to present certificates to eighteen members of the Carcross/ —¢ ¢reduaiion picturc
Tagish First Nation who had spent a little over a year working with JIBC = (oanosite) with Bovry
instructors to complete the conflict resolution coursework needed for Stari (seaieu),  revios
certificates specializing in negotiation and mediation. With White on the Chief Jucge «) ihe Yuron
platform were Mark Wedge, the First Nation’s Kha Shade Heni (roughly —_fevriicrial Court, ord ike
translated as “chief executive”), Barry Stuart, the retired Chief Judge of — Ins.iuite’s Joan P2imer.
the Yukon Territorial Court, and Joan Balmer, the JIBC faculty member
responsible for the delivery of many of the courses.

As a judge responsible for delivering justice in Carcross in the early
1980s, Stuart had introduced community sentencing circles to assist the
court in passing judgment on an Aboriginal person convicted of a crime.

In such a circle, the community works with the criminal justice system
to reach consensus on an appropriate sentence, giving both the victims
and the community input on crime and its solutions. Well aware of the

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