[VIDEO] Fair Treatment of African Nova Scotians Policy (FTANS)

The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute (ANSJI) held our inaugural Justice Symposium on June 18, 2024, at the Halifax Central Library in Halifax, Nova Scotia. One of two panel discussions that took place was about the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service's (PPS) Fair Treatment of African Nova Scotians and People of African Descent in Criminal Prosecutions (FTANS) policy. The policy was released in February, 2024.

The panel was moderated by Maria Dugas, an assistant professor at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. The panelists included Rick Woodburn, the Acting Director of the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service (PPS); Brandon Rolle, a lawyer and the Director of Legal Services in the Criminal Division at the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute (ANSJI); and Vanessa Fells, Equity and Access Advisor for the Nova Scotia Barristers Society.

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The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute's (ANSJI) mandate is to address issues of systemic racism in the justice system that negatively impact African Nova Scotians while ensuring fair, legal and constitutional treatment of all African Nova Scotian community members.

The ANSJI will serve as a justice focused organization that is both proactive and reactive in its response to the pervasive institutional racism experienced by people of African descent in their interactions with policing, the courts, prison, and related systems. Taking on legal cases, providing court support and creating unique legal education opportunities for African Nova Scotians are just a few of the initiatives planned for the ANSJI.

ANSJIs vision is to create programs and services that adequately address institutional racism faced by African Nova Scotians and their families when dealing with human rights complaints, the justice system, all forms of law enforcement and incarceration.

The ANSJI will be a place African Nova Scotians can turn to when seeking legal advice, guidance and advocacy that understands African Nova Scotians as a distinct people.

Government, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and community groups will look to the ANSJI as a leader in legal research, advocacy and education on justice issues affecting African Nova Scotian communities.