December 14, 2023- Happy Holidays from OCJ-T! It’s been seven months since Gladue courts in Toronto have transitioned into the Ontario Court of Justice – Toronto (OCJ-T) located at 10 Armoury Street. Previously spread across multiple courthouses in Toronto and the GTA, Gladue court now operates every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 10am – 5pm and is located on the ninth floor in Courtroom 907.
Since the move to OCJ-T, ALS courtworkers, duty counsel, the crown, the judiciary, and other court staff have worked together with the aim of making Gladue court more comfortable and culturally appropriate for all who attend. The following is a brief overview of some of the Gladue courtroom highlights:
The Gladue courtroom has been structured to give individuals the ability to sit in a circle and everyone, including the judge, is able to speak directly to each other, which encourages participation. ALS courtworkers begin each Gladue court day with an open group smudge, and all clients are offered the chance to smudge again before their matters. Also, as many members of the Indigenous community possess amazing artistic abilities, Gladue court often provides a space to display their work to the public!
Overall, Gladue court at OCJ-T aims to provide a sense of community amongst all those involved. ALS courtworkers and court staff work together with clients in and out of Gladue court to ensure that we provide a communal space for everyone to come together in order to work through often difficult situations. Although the Indigenous community has not be able to gather together as much over the past few years due to the pandemic, the Gladue team at OCJ-T is very excited to begin having more upcoming ceremonies for all to join.
