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Our Services:
Does ANSJI only serve African Nova Scotians?
o ANSJI serves all Black people of African and/or Caribbean descent in Nova Scotia, Canada, whether you were born and raised in Nova Scotia, born and raised in another province or territory, or born and raised in another country. A Black tourist from another continent, for example, would be entitled to ANSJI’s services if they found themselves in conflict with the justice system during a short stay in Nova Scotia.
Is ANSJI province wide?
o ANSJI’s criminal lawyers and family court lawyers service all jurisdictions in Nova Scotia.
o At present, ANSJI’s Justice Navigators are located in the Halifax Regional Municipality and in Truro but will respond to needs in other areas of the province on a case-by-case basis.
What legal matters does ANSJI cover?
o Youth justice court matters
o Child Protection
o Custody/Access/Child Support
o Emergency Protection Orders pursuant to the Domestic Violence Intervention Act (DVIA)
o Additional child welfare and family legal services, such as:
Providing representation in appropriate circumstances
Providing legal information or summary advice
Consulting with your lawyer in race-based issues that may be present in your file
Assisting with finding supports to help aid family reunification
Mediation
o Assisting Black people aged 12 and older who are currently involved in the Justice System navigate areas such as (but not limited to):
Criminal law
Family and child welfare
Mental health
Addictions
Social justice issues
o Providing clear, concise, and actionable summary advice on human rights issues, such as:
Workplace Discrimination
Consumer Racial Profiling
Harassment & Bullying
Access to Justice
Housing Discrimination
What legal matters does ANSJI not cover? (Not an inclusive list):
o Property law / Land Titles
o Tax law
o Civil matters such as suing people for monetary damages
o Wills and estates
o Adult criminal matters (temporary hold)
o Corporate / commercial law
o Divorce
o Providing advocacy at the board of inquiry or beyond the Early Resolution process at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission
Why is there not a justice navigator in my community?
o At the present time ANSJI has limited funding and capacity to provide justice navigators for all areas of Nova Scotia. We are hoping to have increased capacity in the future.
How do I put in a request for services?
o Click the top of our homepage (ansji.ca) that says “CONTACT”. Proceed to complete the intake form. We will usually respond within 2-3 business days (ANSJI has limited capacity with respect to service delivery for individual client representation on legal matters. As a result, ANSJI is currently not taking any Adult Criminal Cases at this time.)
What do I do if ANSJI can't represent me?
o Click here to see our list of Additional Resources
Impact of Race and Culture Assessments™ (IRCAs™):
What is an IRCA™?
o Impact of Race and Culture Assessments™ (IRCAs™) are comprehensive pre-sentencing reports prepared for judges, to aid in mitigating sentencing decisions for African Nova Scotians and Black people of African descent involved in the criminal justice system.
o Every Black person in Nova Scotia who has been convicted in criminal court is entitled to an IRCA™ if they request one.
How do IRCAS impact sentencing?
o An IRCA™ examines the impact that systemic anti-Black racism has on an individual.
o An IRCA™ does not guarantee a light or reduced sentence, though based on a person’s specific life experiences, they have been known to have such an effect in past instances.
o In a precedent-setting decision in 2021, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal ruled that judges must not only consider IRCAs™ when sentencing Black people in Nova Scotia, but that they must clearly demonstrate how it has impacted their decision in the sentencing process.
How do I get an IRCA?
o You can get an IRCA if you have been criminally charged and are awaiting sentencing. Your lawyer will order the IRCA request from ANSJI and an ANSJI IRCA assessor will be assigned to you and will contact you directly.
Why does ANSJI exist?
o In 2016 the United Nations visited Canada as part of the International Decade for People of African Descent. As a result of that visit, the African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent (ANSDPAD) Coalition was formed to address issues within Nova Scotia’s Black community.
o In 2017 ANSDPAD formed a Justice Strategy Working Group to address issues such as access to justice for Black people, over-policing of Black people, over-incarceration of Black people, and anti-Black racism in all dimensions of the criminal justice system.
o In 2019, the Justice Strategy Working Group drafted and submitted a proposal for the creation of the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute (ANSJI).
o In 2021, the Nova Scotia provincial government announced funding for ANSJI, and the Canadian federal government announced funding for the National IRCA™ Training Project.
o In 2022 ANSJI was officially launched.
o In 2023, the Nova Scotia provincial government announced additional funding for ANSJI until March 2026.