Assistance Centre for Victims of Crime: A New CAVAC in Cree Territory

Cree Version of the Press Release

Québec City, May 23, 2008 – Quebec Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Jacques P Dupuis, is pleased to announce the creation of a new Crime Victims Assistance Center, to be known as the Cree CAVAC or CAVAC-Cri. To launch the process, Mr. Dupuis presented this morning the Cree Regional Authority, represented by Grand Chief Matthew Mukash, with a cheque to the amount of $336 669.“The upcoming opening of the Cree CAVAC is good news for the Cree Nation as well as for the Government. Together, we will be able to work more closely with the community and base interventions on the realities it faces. Together, we will help victims restore balance to their lives,” said Minister Dupuis.

“This is an important step in ensuring that victims in our communities receive the same services as those available elsewhere in Quebec. The Cree Nation is committed to this program,” Grand Chief Mukash stated.
The Cree CAVAC becomes the 17th CAVAC, and completes a network covering the entire Quebec territory, including a series of service points, notably in the 57 courthouses managed by the Justice Department.

Overview

The CAVAC network was created in November 1988 under former Premier Robert Bourassa, following the passage of the Act respecting assistance for victims of crime (R.S.Q., c. A-13.2).

For the last 20 years, Quebec’s CAVAC network have offered “front line” post-trauma and psychosociojudicial services to crime victims and their families, as well as to people who have witnessed a crime. The services provided are free of charge and on a strictly confidential basis, whether or not the alleged offender has been identified, arrested, prosecuted or convicted.

The financial assistance announced today reflects the cooperative approach enshrined in the Financial framework concerning the administration of justice for the Crees, signed on May 30th 2007 by Premier Jean Charest and Grand Chief Matthew Mukash. The objective of the framework was and remains, among other things, to ensure the implementation of the provisions of Chapter 18 of the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement, to which followed la Paix des Braves agreement.