Elders on the Little Pine First Nation are exploring the idea of banishing criminals from the reserve.

The idea of kicking known offenders like drug dealers and abusers off the reserve was preposed at a recent community meeting aimed at dealing with crime on the First Nation, located north of North Battleford.

“The criminal justice system is not working. Look at the statistics,” said Jacob Pete, a band member who helped facilitate the meeting.

“We have to take ownership of the problems and come up with local solutions.”

The idea of banishing criminals from a particular community is not unheard of. Saskatchewan’s largest First Nation, Lac La Ronge Indian Band, has been banishing drug dealers and others for decades. First Nations like Mistawasis near Prince Albert and Fishing Lake have also banished people for crimes.

In 2010, a Regina judge banished a man from the provincial capital for a year after he’d stalked a woman for 35 years.

“I think that exiling people or banning people does have some historical connections,” said Bonita Beatty, a University of Saskatchewan native studies professor.