“Canada’s justice system is far too offender-centric and it’s time to ‘shift the conversation’ to ensure victims are treated more fairly”, Canada’s new ombudsman for victims of crime, Sue O’Sullivan said in her first report.

“Right now, the imbalance between the rights of offenders and the rights of victims are very stark in this country… Despite all the good intentions, the conversations about victims have been focused for the most part on offender-related issues and we think it’s time to tackle this head on.”

Read more at http://www.victimsfirst.gc.ca/media/news-nouv/index.html also http://t.co/VOxEGqea

Speakers

Margot Van Sluytman is an awarding winning poet, author, publisher and international speaker, whose father was murdered when she was an adolescent.  Her books include, Sawbonna: I See You, her real life story from murder to meaning, and The Other Inmate:  Mediating Justice – Mediating Hope.  She has shared the stage with Sr. Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, who enthusiastically supports Margot’s vision.

Glen Flett, the man who committed the murder was in trouble with the law since he was a child, and spent 23 years behind bars.  He is now the founder and co-facilitator of L.I.N.C. (Long-term Inmates Now in the Community). Glen believes strongly in, and presents internationally on the concept of restorative justice with its empowerment of victims and ultimate goal of a safer community for all.

A 90 minute film, Sins of My Father, has been made about Sebastián Marroquín, the son of Pablo Escobar, the famed Colombian drug lord.  It tells the story of his journey to healing through reconciliation with the sons of a man whom his father killed.  The film will be shown the evening of April 26.

Registration
Conference including lunch and film April 26:   $260

Early bird rate before March 1:  $235

Group rate for 5 or more before March 1: $225

April 26, evening and film: $30

 Call 403-210-2802 to register or go to www.spiritualdirections.com/conference

Upcoming support groups in Vancouver:
8-week Homicide Bereavement Support Group
(Saturday mornings starting Feb 4 – March 31, 2012)

Monthly Drop-In Support Group
(starting April, 2012)

These self-help, peer support, non-therapy groups are cost-free and facilitated by trained professionals. Saturday morning sessions will provide:

• A safe, non-judgmental, compassionate environment with time for sharing stories and insights.
• Essential grief and mourning survival tools.
• Practical support and information as well as valuable community connections.

No-cost although pre-registration is required as space is limited.  For inquiries and to register, please contact: Helpline: 604-738-9950 Toll Free: 1-877-779-2223 (BC)

Victim Services of York Region and Remember Me Homicide Support Group in partnership with York Region Police is pleased to offer an afternoon symposium to heighten the awareness surrounding rights for victims of crime.

Guest Speaker: Doctor Irvin Waller, A passionate champion of victims’ rights, Irvin Waller is an author and university professor who is internationally sought after as an expert and speaker on stopping crime.

When: Friday February 10th 2012 1.30pm to 4pm

Where: Central Services Building (CSB)
147 Don Hillock Drive, Aurora L4G 7C6

RSVP: Kelly Cetnarski @ 8355@yrp.ca or SueMassey13@gmail.com

LIMITED SEATING IS AVAILABLE
Registration closes February 3, 2012 

This event is provided free of charge. Victims, survivors, police and community partners are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be provided.

Coping Through the Holidays

The holiday season can be very difficult for people that have been impacted by violence and can be a time of sadness, pain or anger for families and victims. Although this is true, there are certain strategies that can help you get through this difficult time.

First and foremost, families and victims must give themselves permission to feel whatever it is that they are feeling and recognize that it is normal to feel sadness and grief throughout the holidays. As a result, you should not try to hide or ignore your emotions. If you feel sad, you should cry; if you feel angry, you should allow yourself to express it.

Do not be afraid to ask for help. It is okay if you need help from others to make it through the season. Try not to feel as though you are a burden. Your friends and family members want to be there for you.

Since everyone grieves differently, families should celebrate the holidays in a way that is best for them. For instance, you can celebrate old traditions or start new ones. For some, old traditions may be too painful to endure. Others may find it important to continue old traditions. Whatever the decision, the loved one can still be incorporated in your celebrations or traditions. For instance, your loved one’s stocking can be hung with the rest of the stockings.

It is important to continue to eat healthy and get plenty of rest. The holiday season is already a stressful time. As a result, the stress associated with grief can make things worse. Staying healthy can lower stress levels and help make the holidays more pleasant.

You may want to consider donating a gift or money in order to commemorate a loved one. This is a wonderful way of remembering someone that has been lost and helping others in need at the same time. Families can also commemorate loved ones in other ways. A candle can be lit in the loved one’s memory or family members can gather together to share fond memories and special stories.

The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Public Safety
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON K1A 0P8

Dear Ministers:

The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime (CRCVC) is writing to you to reiterate our desire for the federal government to invest in victims of crime; particularly in the areas of services, rights and prevention.

We anxiously await the announcement of legislation that will make the Victim Fine Surcharge mandatory across Canada and double it. Victim services can be supported from coast to coast to coast by increasing the amount and application of the Victim Fine Surcharge and by allowing judges to award large fine surcharges on rich offenders as in the United States Federal Court.

We ask that you introduce legislation to amend the RCMP Act to require/mandate officers to offer survivors information about victim services, restitution and compensation. Policing is incredibly important to victims of crime and the RCMP must become a leader and inspiration to other police forces. There is a particular need to improve the way that victims of sexual assault are treated by police officers in order to increase reporting and to multiply child advocacy clinics from coast to coast. We propose that a set of principles be added to the RCMP Act based on the International Association of Chiefs of Police guidelines that clarify the importance of the quality of the response from RCMP to victims, including gender and child sensitive procedures and establishing an office reporting to the commissioner to resolve concerns that victims may have with the RCMP.

Restitution must be ordered more frequently in Canada and paid by offenders. We suggest an amendment to the Criminal Code to clarify how victims can request restitution, ways for the court to assess the ability of offenders to pay early on and require enforcement offices by courts, prison and parole/probation authorities when restitution is ordered. Though developed in the USA, the recommendations of the National Center for Victims of Crime may be helpful in drafting the provisions.

We ask that you remove judge imposed restrictions on Victim Impact Statements to allow victims to speak to their concerns for their safety, restitution and other aspects of sentences. Judges must also be required to talk to the concerns raised by victims in their sentence decisions. While judges in Canada are required to ask Crowns if they informed victims of their right to complete impact statements; we know this requirement is often overlooked due to the very low rate of VIS submitted in court.

We believe the federal government must ensure sexually assaulted women have access to legal aid lawyers when issues of privacy or personal dignity arise, like past sexual history or publication bans. The federal government could enhance legal aid funding targeted towards victims. We ask that the Criminal Code be amended to add a presumption that the personal medical/health and counselling records will not be released. We must work to address the very low levels of reporting of sexual assault in Canada and even lower rates of convictions for this offence.

We believe a Crime Reduction Board is necessary in Canada in order to reduce levels of harm and victimization. The World Health Organization has shown how violence has been reduced significantly by pre-crime prevention, such as helping teens at risk complete school, controlling the abuse of alcohol and improving parenting. A permanent Crime Reduction Board would benefit Canadians by implementing winning strategies from Winnipeg, Southwest Ontario, and Alberta from coast to coast. It would spearhead implementation, including a national framework and collaboration with provinces, municipal governments, police agencies and much more.

The CRCVC believes the Criminal Code should be amended to provide victims of crime formal party status in criminal court proceedings. Victims deserve a more substantial role than that of a witness, especially when their personal interests, restitution and safety are affected. Crime victims and survivors should be able to present their views and concerns, and have the right to legal representation so they are treated with courtesy, dignity, and respect. Victim participation or standing means a victim can defend their interests, just as the prosecutor pursues the interests of the state and the defence counsel pursues the interests of the accused.

Finally, we ask that you legislate the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime to oversee the implementation of victims’ rights in Canada. The OFOVC should be empowered to monitor, protect, enforce and advance victims’ rights in Canada. Its mandate should be expanded to ensure that surveys are undertaken of the extent to which services are meeting the needs of victims as well as the development of legal jurisprudence on victim rights similar to the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI) in the United States. Crime victims also need to be able to access civil remedies. The government of Canada should provide with the provinces a permanent fund to ensure expertise like NCVLI to bring civil prosecutions.

We thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Heidi Illingworth
Executive Director

and PART 2:

where VICTIM CONSIDERATIONS IN CORRECTIONS POLICY is discussed. The panel includes experts: Sue O’Sullivan, Scott Kenney, Ginette Petitpas Taylor and Sylvie Blanchette. The is moderator is Heidi Illingworth. The event is hosted by the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime with funding from Public Safety Canada. The panel discusses issues around corrections policy for one hour and then takes questions from the audience for an hour.