2008
Department of Justice

Penny Winter is a Policy and Program Development Specialist. She has been instrumental in improving access to the Department of Justice for Innu and Inuit people in Labrador by co-ordinating the development and delivery of the Aboriginal Interpreting Initiative.

She has worked diligently to develop partnerships in Labrador, and on the Island, to enhance language interpreting services in the justice system.

Penny organized the development of interpreter glossaries on criminal and family law for Inuttitut and both dialects of Innu-aimun for use as equivalents to the English legal terms. She has overseen the development of a curriculum and the delivery of two Aboriginal interpreter courses in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

In her role as facilitator of the Labrador Advisory Committee, Penny’s commitment, integrity and capacity to bring together many varied interests and perspectives to a common table for a shared purpose has served the province well. It has advanced the interests of Aboriginal communities through improved access to justice and active engagement in justice system development. Her work has also contributed to improving service delivery for Aboriginal clients of the justice system and ensuring that their interpreting needs were kept at the forefront.

Penny was particularly sensitive to ensuring that a respect for Aboriginal culture was first and foremost in her work.