Hello. My name is Claire Leckie. I am excited to be the CRT’s first Navigator!
I gratefully and respectfully acknowledge that my home and work spans across the traditional territories of 198 First Nations and 38 Métis chartered communities in British Columbia.
I have been working with the CRT for over two years and am excited to share my expertise and knowledge with Indigenous participants through my role as the CRT Navigator. The CRT Navigator is a staff position. It was created as part of the CRT’s Reconcili(action) Plan, which is still under development. The Reconcili(action) Plan includes short and long-term actions to better serve Indigenous Peoples through the CRT process.
On September 1, 2020 the CRT started asking parties to new CRT disputes if they would like to self-identify as Indigenous. This self-identification is optional, and the information is not shared with anyone other than tribunal staff and members. It is not shared with the other parties in the dispute.
As the CRT Navigator, I contact all parties who self-identify as Indigenous to introduce myself and the services that I can offer specifically for Indigenous participants. My role as the CRT Navigator is to be a constant point of contact for Indigenous participants as they navigate the CRT process, in order to build a relationship based on trust and mutual respect.
What can the CRT Navigator do?
I am available to support Indigenous participants during the entire CRT dispute resolution process. This includes providing information about each stage of the CRT process, information regarding legal resources, and help navigating the CRT forms. I can answer questions about the CRT process, and act as a constant point of contact so that Indigenous parties who have questions about the CRT process are able to reach out directly to me.
Using the CRT Navigator’s services is completely optional. I can’t provide legal advice.
The CRT counts the number of participants who choose to self-identify to the CRT as Indigenous, and asks for feedback from these participants so that we can continually improve our processes and the services offered by the CRT Navigator. We are committed to making sure that the CRT is a friendly and culturally safe space that supports Indigenous peoples.
I look forward to helping British Columbia become a more equitable place to live.
Where can I find more information about the CRT Navigator and the CRT’s Reconcili(action) Plan?
Please see our Indigenous page. It includes our commitments to Indigenous Peoples, as well as information about the cultural competency training that CRT staff and tribunal members receive. This is also where we will post our Reconcili(action) Plan when it is finalized.
That page also has information for Indigenous people who are interested in joining the CRT team as tribunal members or staff.
We plan on conducting a public consultation on our Reconcili(action) Plan later this fall. In the meantime, we welcome any feedback about the CRT Navigator role. We are interested in hearing from you about what kinds of services you think the CRT Navigator should help with, and whether there is any information that would be particularly helpful for Indigenous participants. Please contact us with your feedback.