 The court found as a matter of judicial notice that the Aboriginal peoples have a long-standing disadvantage in Canadian society and the effects are felt for generations.Aboriginal heritage requires the court to place a higher emphasis on alternatives to incarceration that are based on traditional Aboriginal justice principles such as restorative justice, where community members and the victim will be involved in the process.However, where the crime is more serious in nature, Aboriginal heritage plays a lesser role as courts will place a higher emphasis on protection of the public, denunciation and general deterrence.