Page 6 - Presbyterian Connection Newspaper

Connection
JUSTiCE
Restorative Justice Symposium
6 spring 2018
presbyterian
presbyterian.ca
By Rebecca Bromwich, President of the Church Council on Justice and Corrections and member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ottawa
The 2017 Restorative Justice Sym- posium took place November 19–21 in Ottawa in conjunction with Re- storative Justice Week. In no small part, thanks to the generous contri- bution of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, the event was a success that gives great reason for optimism for the future of innovation toward a more compassionate justice system in Canada.
It was an invigorating and fulfilling experience to be on the organizing committee for this year’s National Restorative Justice Symposium in Ottawa. The symposium was co- hosted by Ottawa’s Collaborative Justice Program (CJP) and the Church Council on Justice and Cor- rections (CCJC) in partnership with
Rebecca Bromwich served as mC for the national Symposium. Chris Ford is a member of the Board of Directors of the Collaborative Justice Program, co-host of the symposium.
The hon. Ralph Goodale, minister of Public Safety.
ada Justice Malcolm Rowe, Fed- eral Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale, Canadian Bar Association President Kerry Simmons and Al- gonquin Elder Claudette Commanda, as well as hundreds of practitioners, academics, thought-leaders and the- ologians from Canada, New Zealand, The United Kingdom and France.
The Symposium provided a space for contemplation, collaboration, collegiality and the development of new energy for moving forward with innovation toward new ways of do- ing justice in Canada. It was also the venue where Minister Goodale an- nounced a multi-million dollar com- mitment to suppor t COSA National, and where that new national organi- zation—providing suppor t for local restorative approaches to ensure public safety and the accountability
Elder Claudette Commanda, an algon- quin and member of Kitigan Zibi First nation, provided the welcome to the traditional territory for the national Symposium on Restorative Justice.
of sex offenders—was launched. As CCJC President, I was able to bring greetings, lead prayer and make visible a PCC presence as co-host of the Gala. It was truly exciting to be in a space where secular, legal and policy work was conducted along- side faith-based discussions and interfaith and ecumenical worship. The Symposium offers a glimpse of inspiring possibilities for a future where church and state are sepa- rate but complementarily engaged in the crucial work of empathy, crime prevention, community healing and
safety.
Corrections Canada. Working col- laboratively, an organizing commit- tee composed of volunteers from restorative justice NGOs, such as COSA (Circles of Support and Ac-
countability) Canada and the Ot- tawa Restorative Justice Network, as well as Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, among oth- ers, set in motion a year of planning that came to fruition with the Sym- posium. While the Symposium is an annual event, it had not taken place in Ottawa since 2004, and holding the event in the National Capital Region afforded access to parliamentar- ians, judges, policy-makers and civil servants in a move that is unrivalled in other regions. Registration for the Symposium filled up several weeks in advance of it taking place, and a lengthy wait-list was compiled. The conference was a runaway success by all accounts.
Speakers at the Symposium in- cluded Ontario’s Attorney General Yasir Naqvi, Supreme Court of Can-
SURPRISED BY JESUS
AGAIN
Preaching Grace 2018
April 27 to 29, in Calgary, Alberta
Join us for conversations about how God gets into our personal space, and what we, the church, are called to do with that, led by The Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee, Butler Chair in Homiletics and Biblical Interpretation at the Vancouver School of Theology.
Visit www.gracechurchcalgary.com for information about the weekend’s three events, details about the topics, and where to get your tickets for the third annual Preaching Grace.
Preaching
Protecting those who enrich the lives of others
Ecclesiastical is a unique specialist insurance company. Owned by a charitable trust, we are deeply committed to protecting those who enrich the lives of others and to supporting local
and global efforts that help eradicate poverty and improve the conditions of people in need.
Working closely with independent broker partners, we are proud to provide customized insurance solutions to registered charities and
non-pro t organizations across Canada. We are equally proud to share the values and ideals of the customers we serve.
www.ecclesiastical.ca