The chief elected to fill the shoes of a former Liard First Nation leader handed probation for a prolonged attack on his estranged wife says the sentence is another example of the courts failing to be sensitive to his people's wishes.

'The Liard First Nation recognizes that a fair number of people in the community are opposed to the recent court judgment,' Chief Liard McMillan said in a telephone interview this morning.

'There's a clear message that there should be zero tolerance for family violence and domestic violence in our communities.

'We also recognize that there have been ongoing problems with the justice system not being sensitive to the real concerns of first nation people for many years, and it doesn't look like much has changed in that respect,' McMillan continued.

'In terms of the actual sentence ... I'm not too familiar with what sentencing has occurred other than I have heard concerns in the community regarding it.'

The first nation doesn't have any control over the actual sentence handed down by the judge, he said.

He was asked if any sentence could have satisfied the entire community. McMillan said, 'I think that certainly the message from this occurrence is that there's a lot of large issues out in the community and problems that need to be addressed with respect to community and domestic violence as well as drug and alcohol substance abuse.

'There's other economic factors that come into play with the current poverty faced in our community.'

Women's groups upset by the two years' probation given to Daniel Morris by B.C. provincial court Judge Dennis Schmidt and agencies who deal with victims met Wednesday evening in Watson Lake and will meet in Whitehorse tonight.

In Lower Post, B.C., on Feb. 26, Morris was given a suspended sentence and two years' probation. The probation order includes traditional justice measures such as a potlatch and a men's talking circle.

The Crown had asked for 18 months' jail after Morris accosted his estranged wife and her lover in her car.

After putting a gun to the other man's head, who fled, Morris beat and kicked his wife for two hours in a gravel pit along the road. That attack involved a sexual attack as well after Morris promised to stop the physical assault if his wife had sex with him. She was hospitalized for three days.

A court worker spoke out at the sentencing for a jail term, and the Liard Aboriginal Women's Society sent a letter to the Crown with 49 signatures, pleading for jail.

A number of community members also spoke out in support of a community-based sentence for Morris.

'It's disheartening,' Barb Powick, who heads up the Whitehorse women's shelter, said today about Morris' sentence. 'It sends a statement to offenders that this kind of behaviour is OK. I think it minimizes the responsibility that (Morris) needs to take.

'The reports I've heard from Watson Lake is that women are very afraid,' Powick continued, noting women don't believe the courts protect them.

'It takes a lot of courage for a victim to come forward to make statements that go to charges,' she said.

In a statement to news outlets this morning, Watson Lake women's shelter president Nancy Moore said she was 'shocked and disappointed' by the sentence.

'Over the past several months, our community has made a strong commitment to breaking the silence surrounding family violence but after this, I have to wonder is anyone listening,' wrote Moore. She heads up the Help and Hope for Families Society which runs the women's shelter.

Moore's reference was to the community debate and action taken since Morris attacked his wife last June.

In a community with one of the worst crime rates in the Yukon, Watson Lake residents, service providers, police and various levels of government have now met several times to come up with solutions.

In another effort that comes out of the Feb. 26 sentencing in Lower Post, Whitehorse-area resident Andrea Lemphers said she wants Yukoners to write to the B.C. Attorney General and ask that the sentence be appealed.

'I thought it was awful,' Lemphers said of her response to reading about the sentence in the local newspapers. 'I thought I had been assaulted by it.'

She said between 11 and 13 people have already told her they'll write to the head of B.C. prosecutions in protest as well.

'This is a particularly vicious attack, and I just couldn't believe that it didn't warrant jail time,' Lemphers said.

She questions whether small communities such as Watson Lake or Lower Post have the resources to put in place all the probation conditions Schmidt ordered.

A major task now is to identify which of those services need funding help and strengthening, the Liard chief said this morning.

'Communication really is key in dealing with these issues,' he said, pointing to the start of an inter-agency news letter for the community.

The first nation is taking the lead on that news letter, which will include items from the RCMP, the first nation, Watson Lake municipality, the women's shelter and aboriginal women's groups, among several others.

It will help educate community members and the various agencies what's out there in terms of services and programs, McMillan said.

'The Liard First Nation encourages people in the community and others to speak out on family violence issues,' McMillan said. 'Our society needs to give a clear signal that for any man to assault his spouse is unacceptable.

'It's an issue which everyone has some responsibility to act on.'

The fallout from residential school abuse, drug and alcohol abuse as well as poverty are at the root of much of the violence his community faces, McMillan said.

'We need to look at supporting former abusers and helping them with various programs and services in order to address their addiction problems.'

Education to possible abusers and victims is also needed, he added.

He said the mobilization that's occurred since the June assault rocked his community is heartening.

'I feel that the attitude our community is taking is a very positive one,' he said. He noted the first nation, various levels of government, the women's shelter and aboriginal women's society 'have grown together' and committed to quarterly meetings.

'I think all of these dialogues are very positive and key in the process of healing our community,' said McMillan.