 Minister Whelan, Chief Judge Williams, Elder Julie Gogo, ladies and gentlemen, it is such a great honor for me to be here for the first time today at this national conference with the international leaders of the country. And I would also like to congratulate the organizers. It's a real pleasure for me to join you today on the traditional territory of the Mi'kmaq people. I'm honored to be here in Halifax on behalf of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the honorable Jody Wilson-Raybould, to speak about our government's commitment to restorative justice. Minister Wilson-Raybould has asked me to convey her profound appreciation for the contributions this national symposium is making to advance and support criminal justice reform in Canada. I would like to begin by thanking Minister Whelan and the government of Nova Scotia for convening this important national event and for welcoming us here so graciously today. And it seems fitting that we are meeting in Nova Scotia, which as Minister Whelan noted a few moments ago has been a recognized leader in promoting restorative justice measures. It was here that the first integrated comprehensive restorative justice system in North America was introduced. And I would be remiss if I did not mention that this was in large measure due to the tremendous efforts of my good friend and classmate Danny Graham, who is an intrinsic humanity, inspired and continues to inspire so many. Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure everyone in this room would agree that incarceration is not always effective in getting people to change their behavior. Locking people up does not address the issues that led to the wrongdoing in the first place. Clearly, we need innovative solutions. Restorative justice measures offer the solution. And as you know, and Minister Whelan just reinforced, they have many advantages over traditional measures. Among other benefits, they can be more collaborative and inclusive, more culturally relevant, and more likely to meet the needs of the communities they serve. They also empower victims by giving them a prominent voice in the process, which can help them to heal while still holding wrongdoers accountable for their actions. Moreover, because restorative justice looks at solving the problem that caused the behavior in the first place, these measures can give offenders an alternative to the system where appropriate. This focus on treating the behavior can be especially useful for marginalized and vulnerable individuals, particularly those suffering from mental illness and addiction. And we know that as many as 80% of all federal offenders have passed current substance abuse issues. This is one of the reasons Prime Minister Trudeau has directed Minister Wilson-Raybould to review our criminal justice system and sentencing reforms enacted over the past decade. To determine the best way forward, our government will base its decisions on evidence and principles and will follow an approach based on listening to all voices and building consensus. This is part of a broader approach to fixing the system by looking at society as a whole. The Minister launched an initiative to review the criminal justice system last summer and roundtables with stakeholders are being held across the country. Several of which I have had the privilege to attend as Professor Golovin indicated there was a particularly productive and informative roundtable here that was chaired by Minister Golovin and myself. And while it's too early to say what the outcome of the review will be, we have certainly heard many views on the shortcomings of the current system and many useful suggestions for making effective changes. These roundtables will continue over the coming months as we study innovative solutions for our justice system. But that's not to say for more serious offenses, especially violent crimes, we should not use other stronger measures to hold offenders accountable for their actions. However, finding alternatives to the mainstream criminal justice system where warranted can address the concerns of those who feel the system does not take into account their realities and interests, including many Indigenous people. The transformation of the criminal justice system will in current address the degree to which it has affected Indigenous people disproportionately. Last year, Indigenous people made out more than 25% of the total admissions to federal and provincial custody. Their overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, both as victims and offenders, is just another symptom of marginalization, poverty, and the legacy of colonization. Getting to the bottom of this overrepresentation can bring us closer to true reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Prime Minister Trudeau emphasized the importance he places on reconciliation in Minister Wilson-Raywald's mandate letter and in the mandate letters of every federal minister by prioritizing the need for a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. Our government recently took an important step toward true reconciliation by launching the National Inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. We know that an inquiry alone cannot undo the injustice of the past, nor can it restore what has been lost. But it can contribute to the way forward on this journey of reconciliation. Minister Wilson-Raywald has said repeatedly, and I agree wholeheartedly, that she would like to imagine a country where the justice system would better align with the needs of all its citizens. An offender's first interaction with the criminal justice system should not become the first in a series of encounters. We need to be better at understanding the factors that cause the criminal behavior in the first place. If we did a better job of treating mental illness and addiction, then perhaps the justice system would not become a revolving door for so many. If we built offerings into the system that would allow an offender to find a way out and imagine the impact this would have on our justice system. Over the next couple of days, you will be discussing these very topics and many others. Our government wants to hear from you and indeed your input will inform our transformation of the criminal justice system for the benefit of all Canadians. Once again, I would like to thank you on behalf of Minister Wilson-Raywald and the Government of Canada for taking part in this symposium. We know we cannot make changes in isolation if we are to succeed in building the justice system that is fair, just, and compassionate for all Canadians. We know we will need to collaborate with all levels of government as well as groups like this one. So I commend you for your efforts. I am confident that you will help us lay the foundation for a better justice system. Thank you. Merci.