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News & Headlines
Judge Slams Girls' Jail Consolidation (posted Apr 13) Speaking of a young aboriginal girl before him recently, Judge Darrell O'Byrne had this to say: "She is exactly the vulnerable young First Nations female who needs structure and consistent rules... Removing her from her community and family supports is exactly the oppositve of what should be occurring to her. Even if the hope of reuniting [her] with her family is fraught with difficulties, that plan is far preferable to taking her out of Prince George for 'budgetary reasons'."
Read more about the issue at the Prince George Citizen's website.
Carrier Sekani Family Services Doesn't Like Changes To Girls' Jail System (posted Apr 13) Though some adjustments have been made surrounding the care of young female offenders from the north, the Ministry of Children & Families will proceed with its plan to centralize services in Burnaby. This decision is not supported by Carrier Sekani Family Services. Read the full story at the Prince George Free Press.
Trip To Vegas For A Good Cause (posted Feb 24) It's not every day that a ten-dollar investment turns into a trip to Vegas. That's what Benna Rathburn, employee of Carrier Sekani Family Services, believes. She's organizing a raffle on behalf of the non-profit society she works for, with all proceeds going towards the Burns Lake Disaster Fund and the Carrier Sekani Family Services Emergency Fund.
Anyone can buy a $10 ticket for a chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas, complete with return airfare, three nights at the Mirage Hotel, and $500 in spending money to blow on the strip. "We have so many points so my boss, Warner Adams, suggested we do a trip for two to Vegas. We had the rooms donated to us from the Mirage and Warner is giving $500 in spending money."
"She's our one-person fundraising department," smiles Travis Holyk, director of research for Carrier Sekani Family Services. "We donated five thousand dollars from our emergency fund to the Red Cross after the Victoria Towers apartment fire last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if a large portion of those funds were raised due to her efforts."
Rathburn also sweet-talked Papyrus Printing into donating the cost of printing the tickets, to support her drive to raise money for the victims of the mill explosion in Burns Lake.
Anyone interested in purchasing a raffle ticket for a chance to win this trip to Las Vegas can call Benna Rathburn directly at Carrier Sekani Family Services at 250-562-3591 at extension 211. Tickets are $10 each or three for $20 and the chance of winning is 1 in 2500. The draw will take place on May 25 and all proceeds will go to the Burns Lake Disaster Fund and the Carrier Sekani Family Services Emergency Fund.
Girls' Jail Closure Made In "Silo" (posted Feb 20) Carrier Sekani Family Services, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, Justice For Girls, RCMP, and other stakeholders met with Alan Markwart, a senior executive director of youth justice services on Friday, February 17 to discuss the controversial closure of the girls' cell block at the Prince George Youth Containment Centre.
The decision to have all regional girls' jails closed has been halted by Mary McNeil, Minister of Child & Family Development, but it is believed that this delay is only temporary and the decision to move girls in the north to Burnaby will proceed at a later date in order to save $2.5 million. Read the full article at the Citizen's website.
Carrier Sekani Services Meets With Government Representatives (posted Feb 20) Carrier Sekani Family Services and other advocacy groups met with Alan Markwart on Friday, February 17 to discuss the closure of Prince George's girls' correctional facilities. Alan Markwart, who is the senior executive director of youth justice has said he will bring Carrier Sekani Family Services' opposition to the deputy minister.
Read the full article at the HQ Prince George website.
Burns Lake RCMP Continue To Search For Perry Sebastian (posted Feb 8) A young man from Lake Babine Nation is still missing. Perry Sebastian Jr was reportedly last seen on December 26, 2011, near Southbank, BC. Read the article provided by Burns Lake District News to see a photo of PJ and learn how the search has progressed.
Minister Delays Girls' Jail Closure (posted Feb 4) A moratorium has at least been partially granted on moving all of BC's girl inmates to a central jail in the Lower Mainland. The date for moving the girls from the regional centre in Prince George was supposed to be February 6, but Minister of Children & Families Mary McNeil says that date has been cancelled and no new date is scheduled at this time, in order to accomodate public input.
The full article will be available on the Prince George Citizen's website at a later date.
Carrier Sekani Family Services Lunch Raises $1,300 For Burns Lake Staff of Carrier Sekani Family Services hosted an informal fundraising lunch selling meals for $10 a plate. Their efforts raised approximately $1,300 for the Burns Lake Disaster Fund. Mayor Shari Green dropped by to support the event. Click to see a photo published in Burns Lake District News.
Backlash Grows To Jailing Girls In Burnaby (posted Feb 4) Northern agencies are joining the call for a moratorium on moving girls out of the Prince George Youth Containment Centre. The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council and partner service agency Carrier Sekani Family Services has officially issued a statement of agreement.
"We've had a conference call with [Turpel-Lafond] and she is concerned, as we arem, about another unilateral decision by the province," the council's vice-chief Terry Teegee told The Citizen.
Read the full article at the Prince George Citizen website.
Carrier Sekani Family Services and CSTC Call For Moratorium On Closing Girls' Prison (posted Feb 2) Both Carrier Sekani Family Services and the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council are requesting that the Ministry of Child & Family Development (MCFD) postpone their decision to centralize youth custody services for girls.
The move is contrary to legislation that clearly states aboriginal children and youth have a right to maintain ties to their family, community, and their culture. The Ministry of Child & Family Development is required to follow this legislation.
Read the joint letter by clicking here.
CBC Radio Interviews Preston Guno About Girls' Correctional Facility Closing (posted Feb 2) Preston Guno, manager of the successful Walk Tall program at Carrier Sekani Family Services, talks with Wil Fundal of CBC Radio about the decision to move all girls in custody to Burnaby. Afterwards, CBC Radio contacts Mary MacNeil, BC Minister of Child & Family Development, as to why the decision is going ahead.
Listen to the interview now on CBC Radio's website.
More Concerns About Closure Of Girls' Prison (posted Feb 1) In the January 31, 2012 edition of the Prince George Citizen, two seperate articles addressed the fact that groups in addition to Carrier Sekani Family Services are concerned about the girls' jail closure.
Former inmate Natasha Brignall went on the record saying, "I'm from PG and my family would come visit me. A lot of the other girls were from out of town, and they never had any visitors. Now they'll be even more cut off from their families." (read the full story here)
Other local organizations believe the new plan is a troubling one. The local branch of Elizabeth Fry Society has publicly denounced the decision (although the provincial society supports the government's plan) and Crooked Path organization, who works one-on-one with young people in trouble with the law, calls the transport of inmates to Burnaby "sickening". (read the full article here)
Young Man Missing From Lake Babine Nation Perry Sebastian Jr, age 26, is currently missing. According to news reports, he was last seen early Boxing Day morning near Southbank. PJ, as the young man is also known, is from Hagwilget and is 26 years old, about 5'11", and around 170 lbs. He was last seen wearing a camouflage toque, black hoodie, navy track pants, and black shoes.
Anyone with any information about Perry Sebastian Jr is invited to call the Burns Lake RCMP at 250-692-7171 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Carrier Sekani Family Services Sends Condolences, Help - Jan 24 / 12 Carrier Sekani Family Services is offering condolences and a caring hand to the community of Burns Lake after the explosion and fire in the mill. Warner Adam, executive director for the non-profit society, expressed his sympathies and explained what his staff are doing to help.
Carrier Sekani Family Services Questions Decision to Centralize Girls' Prison - Jan 23 / 12 Carrier Sekani Family Services is opposed to the Province's decision to relocate youth female corrections services to Burnaby. The move will put more than 700 kilometers between girls in custody and their families. Read the story online at HQ Prince George or view our entire statement here.
Donation For Residents Of Victoria Towers Fire - Nov 22 / 11 Carrier Sekani Family Serices donated $5,000 to the Red Cross to help the victims of the Victoria Towers apartment fire. Read the full story at the Prince George Citizen. (link)
Students Win Bursaries from Carrier Sekani Family Services - Nov 22 / 11 Congratulations to the UNBC students who won awards this year! We are pleased to hear the following students received our bursaries:
We wish you the best of luck as you continue your studies at UNBC.
Community Health Rep Wins First Nations Award - Nov 09 / 11 We are proud to hear that Cynthia Munger, one of our Community Health Representatives who serves Stellat'en First Nation, has been nominated for the First Nations Initiative Of The Year Award. Cynthia deserves to be recognized for all her hard work improving the wellness of First Nations within northern BC.
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