Although the Court did not have a Gladue Report, it recognized that the accused faced a history of abuse and neglect, often associated with systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples. All other reasonable options to incarceration were considered in weighing the harm done to the victim and the community.

Indigenous Law Centre – CaseWatch Blog

The accused pled guilty to five offences contrary to ss 334(b), 430(4), 266, 267(b), and 129(a) of the Criminal Code. A Gladue Report and Pre-Sentence Report were ordered. However, the accused decided not to participate in the preparation of the two Reports, so neither Report was available. The author, who was to have prepared the Gladue Report, suggested to the Court that the accused’s declination to be interviewed was due to the childhood difficulties that he had endured. Such challenges included his father abandoning him when he was ten years old and his mother passing away within the same year. His family had their struggles and addictions, so he lacked support and was faced with low self-esteem. He made it to grade 8 but could not read or write. The accused expressed remorse for his actions, and he acknowledged that he needed help through counselling to learn to love himself.

Following the sentencing principles of s 718 of the Criminal Code, the Court analyzed the mitigating and aggravating factors surrounding the accused and his offences. The aggravating factors included his criminal record and his intimate relationship with the victim. The mitigating factors included his guilty pleas, acceptance of responsibility, and the positive and rehabilitative steps he had taken since the last offence was committed, including his compliance with his strict bail conditions. The Court did not have a Gladue Report. Still, the sentencing judge recognized that the accused faced a history of abuse and neglect, which is often associated with systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples. Since the accused was an Indigenous offender, the Court was required to consider all other reasonable options to incarceration while weighing the harm done to the victim and the community.

The accused is the father of a young child, and he had been working with the mother of his child to create a secure and stable home environment. He was supported by the community, and he had the support to allow him to serve his sentence in the community. After analyzing these factors in combination with the accused’s potential risk of reoffending, the Court sentenced him to four months served conditionally in the community, a probation order of two months, and a recognition of his time served.