STOPWATCH - October 1995

The Bernardo Trial

The Bernardo trial has captured public attention and has thrust Canada's Criminal Justice System into the spotlight. If people were unaware of the flaws within the system in the past, they are certainly aware of them now.

In September, a huge public outcry prompted Gillian Roediger of Hamilton, Ontario, to start a petition addressed to the Ontario Legislature demanding an investigation into the plea bargain which Ontario's Attorney General signed with Karla Homolka. Roughly 200,000 signatures were collected in one month. Canadians are clearly outraged by the failure of justice they have seen.

The plea bargain is but one of a number of serious issues which have been brought forward by the Bernardo and Homolka cases.

The Sentences

Bernardo was found guilty on two counts of first degree murder and was sentenced to 'life with no parole for 25 years'. The sentences for both murders will be served concurrently (in the U.S. it is customary for offenders to serve sentences consecutively). The rationale for concurrent sentencing is that the offender has only one life to give. The sentence, however, is deceiving. Firstly, under Section 745 of the Criminal Code, Bernardo has the right to apply for a judicial review of his parole eligibility date after serving only 15 years. According to Section 745, the jury is to consider primarily the offender's prison conduct rather than the original offenses, when deciding if the parole eligibility date should be reduced. Secondly, Bernardo's sentence begins from the time he was arrested, not from the time he was convicted. As he has already served two years while awaiting trial, Bernardo could seek parole eligibility 13 years from now.

CAVEAT has launched a postcard campaign calling for the repeal of Section 745. We believe that first or second degree murderers should serve the full sentence as handed down by the original judge in the case when all the evidence was put before the jury.

On the other hand, Karla Homolka entered into a plea bargain and was sentenced to two concurrent 12-year sentences for manslaughter. She will be eligible for parole in July of 1997.

The Plea Bargain

In July of 1993, the Ontario Crown entered into a plea bargain with Homolka as a means of having her testify against Bernardo. The plea bargain stated that Homolka was to provide a full account "of any criminal activity" in which she had participated. At the time, there was little evidence to convict Bernardo in the sex-slayings of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, and so Homolka's testimony was crucial. The plea bargain is commonly used to bring an accused to justice, where most of the evidence has to be obtained from a second party, who very often has had some involvement in the crime.

The public's outrage at this agreement stems from the fact that in September of 1994, incriminating video tapes showing the sexual tortures of Leslie, Kristen, Tammy Homolka, and another young girl, Jane Doe, were turned over to the prosecution by Bernardo's new defense counsel John Rosen. Many citizens have contacted CAVEAT asking us to demand an inquiry into the entire police investigation, including the failure to find the videotapes. In addition, there are serious questions that must be answered about Bernardo's former legal counsel's involvement with the tapes.

The public was further angered by the fact that Homolka appears to have breached the terms of the plea bargain by not revealing the sexual assault of Jane Doe until the videotapes were presented. Conviction in the Doe assault could have resulted in the crown bringing a Dangerous Offender application against Homolka.

CAVEAT and the over 200,000 Canadians who signed the Homolka petition are calling for a full inquiry into the plea bargain. The plea bargain process in general needs to be examined as we have become concerned that it is all too often misused.

The Dangerous Offender Application

Now that Bernardo has been convicted, the Crown is seeking to have him declared a Dangerous Offender. If successful, Bernardo would be kept in prison indefinitely.

CAVEAT is pleased to see the Crown making a Dangerous Offender application for Bernardo. Unfortunately, many violent criminals are never declared dangerous offenders. The problem with this legislation is that the application may only be made by the Crown Attorney at the time of sentencing. Provinces are reluctant to make Dangerous Offender applications because Crown Attorney's must be fully conversant with the legislation and also more court time is required resulting in additional expense. Consequently, many extremely violent criminals are released at the end of their sentences to re-offend.

CAVEAT is pushing for changes to the Dangerous Offender legislation so that applications can be made more efficiently, more often, and at any time throughout a sentence if it is determined that the offender continues to be an extreme threat to public safety.

The Videotapes

CAVEAT has been very vocal about the victims' rights to privacy in this trial. We have also supported the French and Mahaffy families in their efforts to intervene in the court hearings to decide if the media should be granted access to the tapes. While it is clear that the jury required access to the videotapes, there is little reason for the general public to see or hear the gruesome details of the final days of the victims' lives. We know that Leslie and Kristen were abducted, confined, drugged, and brutally raped over several days, and were then murdered. Do we really need to know the explicit details at the expense of the families' and friends' well-being? Furthermore, we question the demand that the major members of the media have made to obtain access to these tapes, as they constitute violent, obscene pornography against children.

The Media

The inability of parents and the public to protect themselves and their children from media saturation of the gruesome details in the O.J. Simpson and Bernardo trials, has led to great distress for many families. Upset parents have called the CAVEAT offices to ask what can be done. Public outrage grew when certain children's shows were interrupted for coverage of the Bernardo trial.

In October, Priscilla de Villiers presented this concern to the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television & Telecommunications Commission). She asked why ­ when the CRTC is considering the encoding of children's programming and equipping televisions with the new "V-Chip" ­ are we ignoring the need to set aside a period of time each day for children, up to 11 years of age, that is free from explicit details of gruesome violence?
CAVEAT will report on this issue in greater depth in future editions of STOPWATCH, as we continue to make presentations to the CRTC.

The Legal Aid

While Bernardo and Homolka have received free and virtually unlimited legal aid at tax payers expense, the families of the victims have received close to nothing.

In recognition of the overwhelming expressions of support for the French and Mahaffy families, CAVEAT established a Victims' Assistance Fund in early 1995. Monies from the fund covered out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the families during the trial. In addition, Mr. Bob Wercholoz, a long time business associate of Doug French, launched the French/Mahaffy Legal Assistance Fund, to assist the families with their legal fees.

The response to both funds by Canadians, and Americans as well, was beyond belief. CAVEAT and the trustees of the funds wish to thank all of the citizens who gave so generously to help ease the burden of the French and Mahaffy families. The French/Mahaffy Legal Assistance Fund will continue for several more months to aid the families until all litigation is finished. If you would like to contribute to the fund, please see the back page of this STOPWATCH.

In CAVEAT's view, it is a disgrace that the victims, after all that they've endured emotionally and financially, have to rely solely on public generosity for financial assistance. This presents a serious lack of equality. Victims are being denied the equality promised to all Canadians under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. CAVEAT will continue to pursue this problem.

The serious issues raised by the Bernardo and Homolka cases have prompted victims and other citizens to voice their concerns to CAVEAT. We urge the public to write to their politicians or send them one of our Section 745 postcards. It is the politicians who vote on changes to legislation. We also urge Canadians to purchase CAVEAT memberships if they have not already done so. The more members we have, the more powerful our voice. We will be taking an active position on many of the issues over the months to come. Look for detailed coverage of these issues in future editions of STOPWATCH.

The Death Penalty in Canada

Once again the issue of capital punishment is making headlines in Canada. Heinous crimes against murder victims, in particular those against Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, are being described daily even though the trials of their killers are over. People feel helpless and cannot understand, explain or justify such inhuman acts.

The issue of capital punishment is gaining support from many citizens and parliamentarians alike at a particularly emotional time as the community is looking to appease its anger at a particularly brutal violation of its children.

A common human reaction at such a time is to lose objectivity and be consumed by an overwhelming sense of rage. Indeed, some people feel that any penalty is too lenient for particularly violent crimes. Unfortunately, even a punishment of death would provide catharsis for only a very short time.

Capital punishment in Canada was abolished in steps over a period of years. Realistically its reinstatement would also take many years, considering the legal implications and the ethical dilemma it would present for many Canadians. Unfortunately, such debate would take precious time away from useful debate over other important justice issues, effectively stalling legislation that could control a far greater number of dangerous offenders.

It is important to take a balanced and long term view of violent crime and public safety and realise that capital punishment will not affect all serious, violent or dangerous offenders. In fact, because it is traditionally reserved for first degree murderers, only a small proportion of dangerous criminals would be subject to this fate. Other atrocious crimes, such as vicious rapes, assaults and violent offenses against children would not be covered by capital punishment.

Perhaps the most compelling reason capital punishment may not be an option in Canada can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In the charter, every person is guaranteed the "legal right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment." A sentence of capital punishment would likely face a lengthy Charter challenge in the courts on the grounds that it is cruel and unusual treatment, even though the offender him/herself committed acts which were cruel and unusual.

The public's anger is justified. An adequate means of dealing with these violent criminals­one which reflects society's abhorrence to such violent crime­is lacking. The public tends to turn to capital punishment as the only fitting solution. However, much more effective solutions have been identified. All that is needed is the political will to act.

In particular, Section 745 of the Criminal Code must be repealed to eliminate the right for offenders to seek early parole eligibility (see STOPWATCH, Volume I, 1995). Consecutive sentences for multiple convictions must be used rather than concurrent ones as is presently the custom. Courts must be permitted to make 'Dangerous Offender' designations at any time during a sentence, instead of only at the time of sentencing, to allow violent murderers, rapists, and pedophiles to be incarcerated indefinitely in the event that they have not been rehabilitated and continue to be a threat to public safety.

The 1994 SafetyNet Conference produced over 100 more recommendations for legislative changes to improve public safety. Copies of the SafetyNet Final Report are available from CAVEAT.

Nothing, including the return of capital punishment, will ease the pain that society is feeling following the double murder trial of Paul Bernardo. Nothing will provide retribution for the indignities that Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French had to endure at his hands. Nothing will eliminate the anguish of their families. The return of capital punishment is not a preventative measure that has the clout that its name suggests. Many more significant changes, other than capital punishment, are necessary to ensure public safety.

The Dawn Shaw Murder in B.C.

On October 24, 1992, 15-year-old Jason Gamache brutally murdered and then raped 6-year-old Dawn Shaw in Courtenay, B.C. Gamache was a repeat sex offender on probation, forbidden by court order to have contact with children.

However, Gamache frequently saw children. In fact, the RCMP arranged for Gamache to baby-sit Dawn's brother and sister while their parents were at the police station learning of her murder. In addition, the RCMP refused to let the grandparents see the children that night to offer them comfort. They said they had found someone reliable to look after the children. The RCMP even got 3-year-old Robin's nightclothes out so Gamache could undress her and put her to bed. (The family later pushed hard for an RCMP sex offender registry. The B.C. government has now created policies to begin to solve this problem.)

After Gamache was arrested in December of 1992 he was transferred to adult court. During the investigation, the Shaw family was given no information as to how the murder was committed or why Gamache was transferred to adult court (they were in fact barred from attending this hearing).

In the fall of 1993, Gamache waived his right to a preliminary hearing and the case went to trial in March, 1994. It was in the courtroom, along with the media and the general public, that the family finally heard the horrific details of Dawn's murder. They were extremely traumatised when they learned that, on the day of his arrest, Gamache had assisted the RCMP by allowing them to videotape a "walk-through" of how he had murdered Dawn. Gamache led the RCMP across the school's grounds and showed how he carried Dawn into the bushes. He told the RCMP that he was molesting her when he heard Dawn's 10-year-old brother calling for her. Dawn screamed "Mommy". Gamache claimed he didn't have time to warn Dawn to be quiet, so he killed her. He demonstrated on videotape how he made a tremendous leap into the air and jumped with full force onto her chest. He calmly told the RCMP that he kicked her once in the head, then checked her and she was dead. He then raped her.

He led the RCMP back to his apartment and showed them how he went upstairs to the bathroom and cleaned up. He took his sneaker off and explained that there was this "thing" in his shoe. He scooped it out and said, "I think it was s__t," and laughed. Gamache's demeanor throughout the entire videotape was one of pride, and he displayed repeatedly his dismay that the crime scene had been changed by the police, as they had cut down brush and removed evidence. It was clear that his fantasy about what he had done to Dawn was ruined.

In court, the videotape was too disturbing for the family and so they left. During the five minute walk to their hotel, they tried to figure out how to tell the rest of the family what they had seen. They knew they couldn't lie because the press coverage was extensive. Then, upon turning on the television in the hotel room, they discovered to their horror that the media, including the CBC and BCTV, had already aired Gamache's videotape as a lead-in on the evening news. Gamache's lawyer, Keith Jones, had given copies to the media. It was too late. Before they could call, their son Anthony had seen the tapes.

The media, in its attempt to air "exclusive" material, showed no regard for the Shaw family's well-being or for the public. The family asked one reporter why he didn't consult them before airing the tapes. He said, "The tape was shown in the courtroom and therefore was in the 'public domain'." They replied, "The autopsy pictures were also in the 'public domain', so why didn't you show those while you were at it?" He replied, "Oh, we couldn't do that, we have our standards."

In March of 1994, Gamache was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 10 years.

Dawn's family is pushing for tougher penalties for sex offenders. A relative says, "You have to live as if you know for sure that a convicted sex offender lives in your apartment block, because it's probably true."

Introducing CAVEAT Alberta

A New Regional Office

by Colette Mandin-Kossowan

On August 6, 1991, my brother Maurice Mandin, his wife Susan and their two daughters, Islay and Janelle, were murdered by the son of the family, 15-year-old Gavin Mandin. Gavin was angry at his parents and sisters because, "they bugged him," and, "he hated chores." He shot them using a Remington pump-action .22 rifle.

The arduous journey through the justice system that followed inspired several family members to launch letter writing campaigns to the media and politicians and to attend forums on youth crime.

In the spring of 1994, two more incidents of youth crime, unrelated to my family's, shocked Albertans. In April, 17-year-old Scott Farion was shot to death by a young offender who was out on bail for three armed robberies. Then, one week after my own home was broken into and robbed, Barb Danelesko was stabbed to death in her Edmonton, Alberta home during a random break and enter by three young offenders.

The Danelesko murder in particular sparked a huge public outrage, pricking a bubble of discontent and frustration with our justice system that had been simmering for a long time. The feeling was that this random crime could have happened to anyone. The public was tired of paying the tragic price for a justice system that is too lenient and is obsessed with the rights of the accused while it ignores those of the victim.

As a result, a Justice Day Rally, initiated by Calgary radio station QR77, was organised to occur in Edmonton and Calgary with simultaneous radio broadcast on CHED, an Edmonton affiliate and QR77. The Justice Day Rally, the first of its kind in the area in which all speakers were heard across the province, took place on Mother's Day, May 8, 1994. Public participation was province-wide with almost 1000 people present at the Calgary site and 4000 to 5000 in attendance in Edmonton. The overwhelming messages were: "Toughen the Young Offenders' Act", "Victims Suffer While Justice Sleeps" and "Action Now".

I had invited Scott Newark to speak at the rally, and it was through him that I met CAVEAT President Priscilla de Villiers who had agreed to speak to the Edmonton gathering as well.

Subsequently, I was invited to represent a victim's perspective on the Young Offenders' Panel at the first CAVEAT-sponsored SafetyNet Conference in Hamilton, Ontario in September, 1994.

While at SafetyNet, I spoke to people from various justice reform and victim support organisations to find out how Albertans might benefit from their experience and expertise. I was encouraged to start a similar organisation in Edmonton, but felt strongly that we needed to create a network rather than another small group. We needed united voices, not splintered, divided ones.

After many months of discussion with a small core of volunteers from the Edmonton area, and meetings with Priscilla de Villiers and other CAVEAT officials, we applied to CAVEAT's Board of Directors to establish a regional office in Alberta. We became a part of CAVEAT in February, 1995, and immediately opened an office in Edmonton.

CAVEAT Alberta would like to participate as much as possible in the mission and goals of CAVEAT. Although our base is small, it is extremely important to Albertans to have a voice. Our group of 25 volunteers is positive that we can make a difference.

Currently, we are focusing on increasing CAVEAT memberships in Alberta. Most of CAVEAT's supporters are in the southern Ontario and Vancouver areas. We would eventually like to see comparable support from this province. We urge Albertans to take out CAVEAT memberships (governments do pay attention to our membership numbers), and to become involved and stay informed so that we can make our voice heard on justice issues both federally and provincially.

If you would like more information on CAVEAT Alberta or would like to volunteer, please contact us at:

CAVEAT Alberta
Suite 300, 5642­23 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta, T6L 6N2
Tel: (403) 464-9935 Fax: same

An Evening With CAVEAT BC

While CAVEAT Alberta is less than one year old, CAVEAT BC is now entering its third year of operation as a regional office.

CAVEAT BC has been actively spreading the CAVEAT message throughout British Columbia and has increased membership numbers substantially in a relatively short period of time. This increase in membership is of great importance because governments need to know how many Canadians support what we are saying and doing.

Recently, in a commendable effort to raise funds, membership numbers, and public awareness, CAVEAT BC held it's first major fund-raiser on April 26, 1995, entitled, "An Evening With CAVEAT." The project, originally scheduled for only one evening, was so successful that two additional evenings were added.

The event was held at Ikaros Restaurant at the Langley airport and included a full course Greek dinner and an evening of entertainment featuring Alyssa Nielsen, a well-known country and western singer.

Speaking were CAVEAT BC Chairman - Chris Simmonds, Canadian Police Association Vice-President - Constable Daryl Tottenham, Vancouver Media Liason Officer - Staff Sergeant Peter Montague, and RCMP Officer and CAVEAT member - Constable Shane Tuckey. Other speakers over the three evenings included Langley Township Mayor John Scholtens, and CAVEAT members John Friesen, Lillian Fuller, and Bonnie Perry. A presentation on the third night by CAVEAT BC 's Corinne Schafer, whose sister, Angela Richards, was murdered by a man who had long criminal record and was out parole at the time, was particularly poignant, prompting many in the audience to become members.

The fund-raising event was the result of three people in a business class at Kwantlen College working together. Lillian Fuller headed the team as Account Executive, with Raj Rana acting as Creative and Public Relations Director, and Katherine Gillis acting as Media Director and Co-Creative Director.

The purpose of the project was to promote awareness of CAVEAT BC in the business and general community, to generate interest in CAVEAT membership, and to raise funds for permanent office space in Langley, B.C.

All three of these goals were met and, as a direct result, CAVEAT BC is pleased to announce that its new office is open for business ("Grand Opening" will be November 4).

Please see 'Upcoming Events' on Page 7 for details about CAVEAT BC's fashion show at the Bedford House in Langley, November 17, 1995.

Youth Taking Action: The Year in Review

In CAVEAT's view, today's youth are the key to a more just and safe future. Consequently, much of our work focuses on fostering violence prevention education programs in schools and communities across Canada.

Youth Challenge 1994

CAVEAT's mission to work towards a just and peaceful society cannot be achieved solely by advocating changes to the justice system. CAVEAT believes that the avoidance and prevention of violent crime, and violence in general is always preferable to dealing with it after the fact. Thus, CAVEAT's Education Committee was established to work with young people to bring about an awareness of the damaging effects of violence, teach skills for dealing with violent situations, and promote changes in personal attitudes toward violence.

On October 25, 1993, CAVEAT held its first Youth Challenge Conference at the Hamilton Convention Centre. More than 700 student delegates from high schools and elementary schools in the area participated. They spent the day listening to speakers such as Serge LeClerc who was first incarcerated at the age of 8, spent 21 years of his life in prison, and had a 20-year drug habit. Now reformed, he speaks to youth to inspire change. The students then split up to attend their three selected workshops.

The aim of the conference was to empower youth to deal with violence and to challenge them to return to their schools and continue with the anti violence message there. Many of the delegates met CAVEAT's challenge and formed anti-violence groups in their own schools, thus creating the 'ripple effect' that CAVEAT had hoped for.

On October 25, 1994, CAVEAT held its second Youth Challenge Conference for over 850 student delegates from a much wider area of the community. The format of the day was similar to Youth Challenge 1993. Students had the opportunity to participate in three workshops of their choice:

• Monica's Story - Recognizing abusive and controlling relationships
  
• A Personal Perspective on Stalking
  
• We Can Talk This Out - A demonstration of mediation skills for clarifying and resolving conflict
  
• Being the Best You Can Be - Learning about your own strengths and challenges
  
• Youth Gangs - Understanding peer pressure and what influences youth to join gangs
  
• Mission Control - Anger Management - Learning to deal with anger effectively
  
• Break the Silence - How to establish a support group in your own school
  
• Police: Media Perception vs. Reality
  
• Bullying - Understanding the problem and teaching strategies to help the victim, bully, teachers, and parents
  
• Saying What You Mean: Communication & Signals in a Relationship- e.g. date rape
  
• Discriminate? Who Doesn't - Understanding cultural diversity
  
• The Dangers of Dieting and the Effects of Control - A discussion of social pressure in North America to look a certain way and to fit into a certain mold
  
• Depression: Understanding and Helping a Friend - Recognizing signs and signals
  
• Travelling...Keeping Safe While Experiencing New Places - tips for students heading off to university or considering travelling - by Ann King of B.C.

Youth Challenge 1994 was another great success. Students responded positively to the event:

"I came not knowing what to expect, but left feeling a sense of goodness and inspiration."

"I learned more in one day than I will in my whole life! Also, there is hope."

"Contrary to what media may say about youth being uncaring and apathetic about violence in society, there is a lot of positive energy being directed towards reducing violence in society."

"Everyone can make a difference no matter who you are."

CAVEAT will forego a 1995 youth conference, but CAVEAT BC and CAVEAT Alberta are considering holding Youth Challenges in their areas sometime in the future.

CAVEAT Youth Council

Soon after Youth Challenge 1994, the CAVEAT Youth Council was created. The Youth Council gives a voice to the silent majority of teens.

The Youth Council is comprised of over 40 students from the Hamilton Wentworth and Halton area schools, in Ontario, and has elected student Amy Kszyston as its president. The students are very enthusiastic and many have been responsible for creating anti-violence groups in their own schools in the past.

The Youth Council will take on youth projects of their own and will provide a valuable youth perspective to CAVEAT's work.

Currently, the council is researching a National Youth Conference similar to the Youth Challenge. As well, a public forum dealing with the issue of young offenders is being considered for early 1996. Members of the council have also been active in promoting CAVEAT memberships now that a new membership rate of $10 for students has been introduced.

CAVEAT extends a warm welcome to the Youth Council and looks forward to its future contributions.

CAVEAT Youth Awards: A Call for Nominations

Do you know a young person who is helping to stop violence? CAVEAT wishes to recognise and reward youths who have committed themselves to work toward the awareness, reduction and prevention of violence in their community or school.

In seeking nominations for the annual CAVEAT Youth Awards, the following criteria have been established. The nominees must be 10 - 19 years of age, and have demonstrated a dedication to the prevention of violence through an individual act, or through involvement in a program or project aimed at helping to stop violence in their community or school.

If you have a nomination that meets these criteria, please complete and return this nomination to the CAVEAT office as soon as possible. Please ensure that the nominee has been notified.

Nominations must be received at the CAVEAT office by Friday, November 3, 1995.

The third annual CAVEAT Youth Awards will be presented publicly at the SafetyNet Conference, Hamilton, Ont., November 19-21 (see Page 7).

Last Year's Award Winners:

Tara Amos - Cardinal Newman East, Kristie Nikiforow - Parkside, Alyson Murdoch - Parkside, Andria Jones - Cardinal Newman West, Catherine Skinner - Cardinal Newman West, Tina Lychak - Saltfleet, Carrie Pratt - Saltfleet, Jennifer Price - M.M. Robinson, Sarah Galashan - Ancaster High and Vocational School (AHVS), Victoria Nethercott - AHVS, O.B. Sealey - AHVS, Ramneet Auila - AHVS, Melissa Crawford - AHVS, Matt Kershaw - AHVS, Maryanna Basic - AHVS, Deidre Bryden - AHVS

Waterdown High School Holds Anti-violence Week

Students at Waterdown District High School, in Waterdown, Ontario, held an anti-violence week in February of 1995 to educate students on violence prevention and inform them of the facilities available to receive help if needed. The students used the CAVEAT publication Break the Silence to assist them. They also invited several speakers to address the student body, including CAVEAT's Dorothy Leonard and Dawna Speers. Storefronts were set up to display helpful information, and violence prevention techniques were demonstrated through the use of cooperative games.

In conjunction with their anti-violence message, the students organised a black and red ribbon campaign so that students and staff could show their support. Funds raised from the sale of the ribbons were presented to CAVEAT.

CAVEAT applauds organisers Jenn Buckle, Laura Foxcroft and Julie Buckle, and the students and staff of WDHS for their work to promote an end to violence.

And The Ripple Effect Continues....

CAVEAT's Youth Challenge Conferences have created a ripple effect far beyond any expectations. Students attending the conferences have returned to their schools to hold violence awareness days and form anti-violence groups.

Bishop Ryan has BRAVE (Bishop Ryan Against Violence Everywhere) to educate staff and students and promote zero tolerance for violence. Cardinal Newman has CLASS (Cardinals Lobbying Actively for a Safe Society). Orchard Park has S.A.V.A.R. (Students Against Violence and Racism). M.M. Robinson has SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere). George L. Armstrong has a Mediation group called GLAM which helps disputants talk about their problems before they get out of hand. And the list goes on.

In addition many students, student councils, and staff have been purchasing CAVEAT memberships and holding creative fund-raising events to support our work. Special thank yous go to Waterdown District High School which raised $135 from the sale of ribbons, to St. Ignatius of Loyola Secondary School which raised $500 from the sale of "acrosticks" which they made themselves, and to Rolling Meadows Public School which raised $125 in a raffle where the winner got to shave the beards of the male staff after a beard-growing contest!

CAVEAT is overjoyed by these student-led initiatives to end violence. We hope the same enthusiasm will spread to schools across the country. We have produced Break the Silence, a Resource Handbook, and a Youth Challenge video, all available for purchase by those wishing to start violence awareness programs in their own schools (see back page). Let's watch the ripple effect continue.

Dynamic Partnerships for Safe Schools

While students are key to violence prevention in schools, parents and educators must become involved as well.

CAVEAT recently received approval from the Ontario Ministry of Health, under its Healthy Community Grants Program, for a project that will promote effective collaboration between parents and school personnel around the issue of violence prevention. The three Hamilton, Ontario elementary schools participating, George L. Armstrong, Dalewood, and Sanford Avenue School, each bring strengths and experiences. The project was developed in collaboration with CAVEAT Education Chair, Jessie Smith. The facilitator of the project is myself, Dr. Donna Mitchell.

WHY THE PROJECT IS NEEDED:

Children come to school to learn. However, children do not learn when they are frightened. Some children bring fears from home, where they may experience or witness violence. Some children fear coming to school because of experience of physical and emotional abuse from their peers and in some cases from teachers.

There is a genuine concern from parents about the safety of their children. Parents receive notices from schools about 'dangerous strangers'. Parents read about the release of pedophiles into the community once their prison term is completed. Issues of bullying and gangs create fear for children and parents alike, and parents frequently say they feel powerless to help their children.

School personnel are seeking strategies that will create school climates that are inviting for children and parents. Ways to develop social skills and build students' self esteem are high priorities for school staff today. By focusing on a collaborative approach between parents, students and staff we hope to underline the fact that violence is not the way to solve problems.

THE PLAN:

Parent/teacher teams will meet regularly throughout the school year to provide an effective means of dealing with general violence issues or specific incidences of violence where a parent or teacher feels helpless to deal with the situation alone.

With funds which began in April of 1995, the project started by taking stock of violence prevention programs currently under way and the needs in each school. Activities will intensify during the 1995-1996 school year to include team building, visioning workshops, skill development and possibly connecting with community development initiatives. At the end of the project, the successful practices will be compiled into a guidebook and shared with others in "Train the Trainer" workshops to allow the program to continue on its own for years to come.

While the project is ambitious, all partners bring many talents, expertise and hopes for building effective partnerships that will create safe and happy schools.

Personal Strategies for Violence Prevention

• Be honest and open in your communication with family and friends.
• Learn to talk about your problems. Become involved with a peer mediation programme.
• Every person has the right to make positive choices. You can resist caving into peer pressure.
• Avoid getting trapped in the rumour mill.
• Peers learn from peers. Network with other schools and share violence prevention ideas.
• You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, "go with your instincts".
• Use your common sense to avoid unsafe situations.
• Use the resources that are available to you: the police, public health, youth programmes, school counselling services, or self-defense programmes.
• Support and information are available from:

KIDS HELP PHONE 1-800-668-6868
Healthy Kids Program 1-905-546-3596
Adolescent Program 1-905-546-3554

Here's What You Can Do

• Rally your school, your friends and your classmates. Organise a forum on justice issues or violence awareness. CAVEAT has published an organisational handbook called Break The Silence to help you (see back page).
• Invite speakers into your school for assemblies or for informal lunch talks. Members of CAVEAT are available for speaking engagements, panel discussions and public forums.
• Organise and support violence prevention groups in your schools.
• You have unique and very important perspectives to share. Make your views known. Federally, write to your M.P.; or The Honourable Allan Rock, Minister of Justice; or The Honourable Herb Gray, Solicitor General: House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6 (postage free). Provincially, write to your M.P.P. (or M.L.A.), your provincial Attorney General, Solicitor General, and Minister of Education.
• Tell CAVEAT what you are doing to help reduce violence in your school and in your community.

Do You Know About CAVEAT's New Student Membership Rate?

CAVEAT has recently introduced a Student Membership rate of only $10, to allow students to keep informed of our work and to support our cause. We encourage students to become CAVEAT members. Every membership is important.

Do You Know About CAVEAT's New Family Membership Rate?

As a result of numerous requests, CAVEAT has recently introduced a Family Membership rate of $35, to allow families to support us and be counted in our membership numbers. To purchase a family membership, please see the back page of this issue. Your membership support is very important to us.

CAVEAT's "Victim Sensitivity Training"

One minute you are a balanced, functioning member of society. The next, without warning, you become a victim of violent crime. Shock and stunning disbelief overwhelms you; your body aches while your mood swings from depression, to hostility to denial. Somehow you survive. Sitting through a court process to determine the fate of the accused renews the horror and victimisation.This is the experience of CAVEAT volunteer Dawna Speers whose daughter, Monica Drake, was brutally murdered on October 7, 1991.

Since Monica's death, Dawna has investigated several areas of justice and corrections to help her make some sense of a system that appears adversarial to a victim of violent crime. In February, 1995, she met with Peter White and John Currie from Correctional Services of Canada (CSC) to discuss the idea of a victim information centre, where victims could access the information they are entitled to through a 1-800 telephone number. Mr. White suggested at the time that members of CSC would benefit from hearing some of the stories which victims had relayed to him.

Dawna and CAVEAT's Education Committee Chair, Jessie Smith, then developed The Victim Awareness Sensitivity Training Program to describe the stress and trauma that victims of violence and their families might experience when dealing with justice personnel, based upon their own experiences. A pilot project was presented to roughly 70 CSC staff members.

The presentation begins with Dawna relating 'Monica's Story' and her family's trauma in the aftermath of Monica's violent death. Following a lecture on grief and the needs of bereaved people, the group recesses to reflect on the impact of the presentation. After a break, Jessie and Dawna, portraying a case worker and a victim, present a model conversation depicting the worst case scenario of a victim dealing with justice personnel. Members of the audience are then asked to role play similar situations, discuss their experience in small groups and report back to the group on their findings. Following a question period, Jessie closes the program by reading an essay written by her 14 year-old niece, explaining the thoughts of a child whose grandparents have been murdered.

The pilot project received excellent reviews from CSC staff, and Dawna and Jessie were subsequently invited to present a series of training seminars for Corrections and Parole staff beginning in September, 1995.

Victims are becoming increasingly involved in the justice system. It is crucial that employees within the system learn to communicate properly with victims of violent crime. CAVEAT applauds this move by CSC to become more receptive to the victim.

Kenney to Study Victims for Doctoral Thesis

Interviews Requested of Families Touched by Murder

CAVEAT Research Committee member, Scott Kenney, is currently conducting interviews with survivors of murder victims for his Ph.D thesis in sociology at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.

Mr. Kenney has a personal interest in victims of crime due to the murder of his cousin by two men released prematurely from prison. Mr. Kenney states, "The crime occurred in 1983, but my life, and the lives of many in my family, have never been the same. I saw only some of what my aunt, uncle, and cousins went through, and was appalled by the insensitivity of the justice system. Since then, I have been a staunch supporter of victims' rights."

Mr. Kenney's ordeal first lead him into the legal profession and then into sociology for the serious academic study of issues surrounding victims of crime. He is presently researching the differences in how men and women actively cope with such losses as well as their often horrific dealings with the criminal justice system. Mr. Kenney has found that there are a number of misconceptions about crime victims in society, particularly regarding their alleged total "helplessness" in the face of grief.

He is looking for female and male volunteers across the country (and beyond) who are interested in talking about their ways of dealing with grief following the murder of a loved one, particularly how they manage in their dealings with family, friends, and the criminal justice system. These interviews will be entirely confidential in nature, and should take approximately one to two hours, in person. Or, if you live at a distance, a survey will gladly be mailed to you. Also, any victim impact statements, newspaper articles, or correspondence you can provide Mr. Kenney with would be appreciated.

If you are interested in participating in a study that may have important social and legal policy implications for victims of crime across Canada, or would like further information, please contact Scott:

Mr. Scott Kenney B.A., M.A., L.L.B.
CAVEAT Research Committee
c/o Suite 3-164, 3350 Fairview Street
Burlington, Ontario, L7N 3L5
(905) 524-3686

(Study ends May 1996)

It's Back.

SafetyNet Conference 1995: "The Protection of Our Children"

The historic SafetyNet Conference of last year, hosted by CAVEAT and the Canadian Police Association, will return to Hamilton, Ont., November 19 - 21.

SafetyNet 1994 assembled over 100 expert judges, lawyers, politicians, psychiatrists, crown attorneys, police, customs officials, victim advocates, and educators, to suggest legislative changes and public policy for improving the safety of every Canadian. The 146 recommendations that resulted were presented to all Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Governments in the SafetyNet Final Report, released December 1994 (copies are available, see back page of this issue).

As part of SafetyNet 1995, a report card on government response (or lack of response) to the 146 recommendations will be presented publicly as a follow-up to last year's work. Aside from the report card, the conference participants will spend most of their time in various workgroups, discussing concrete action plans to improve the safety of Canada's children.

The SafetyNet 1995 Statement of Principle reads:

"Children are the most vulnerable segment of our society. They can be easily influenced, intimidated, and exploited, and are unable to protect themselves. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Canada, maintains that the state must protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. Recommendations from SafetyNet showed the need to examine and improve the protection of children at all levels of government. We must ensure that children have safe homes, schools and communities. They are our future."

CAVEAT has invited several justice reform experts and specialists in the field of children's protection, to join us at SafetyNet 1995. We look forward to a productive and high-powered conference, following the highly successful SafetyNet 1994.

We urge the public to join us at SafetyNet on Sunday, November 19, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Hamilton Convention Centre. The Sunday program will offer an open forum for adults. The panel will include distinguished speakers including Washington State's Assistant Attorney General, Douglas Walsh, who played a prominent role in lobbying for Washington State's sexual predator law and its "three strikes your in" law. At the same time, the children will be entertained at their very own forum which will include "safety tips for kids." Tickets are $5 for adults (children are admitted free) and should be purchased in advance from the CAVEAT office (905) 632-1733.

Priscilla de Villiers, B.A., H.Ed, L.L.D.

On Friday, May 12, 1995, several members of CAVEAT had the privilege of joining the de Villiers family at the Convocation of the Faculty of Health Sciences of McMaster University. At the ceremony, the Chancellor of McMaster University, Dr. James Taylor, conferred the Degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, upon Priscilla de Villiers for her work promoting criminal justice reform and victims' rights.

The Faculty of Health Sciences of McMaster University was established in 1969 in response to a demand for highly skilled health professionals and encompasses the School of Nursing, the School of Medicine, the School of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy and the Midwifery Programme.
The President of McMaster University, Dr. Geraldine Kenney Wallace, acknowledged, in her speech to the graduands, the tireless pace that Priscilla has maintained in her effort to make Canada a safer, less violent society.

Priscilla's daughter, Nina, was a student at McMaster at the time of her death. She had intended to enter the McMaster School of Medicine to study to become a doctor, following in her father Rocco's footsteps. Rocco de Villiers is presently an associate professor of neurosurgery at McMaster.

Since the tragic death of Nina, the university has chosen to honour her, other McMaster students and staff who have been victims of violence, and all victims of violence, with the establishment of a beautiful garden, named the "Nina de Villiers Memorial Garden", which is located in the centre of the university grounds.

Priscilla's honorary degree is an important milestone both for Priscilla and for CAVEAT. All members of CAVEAT are proud of our founder for her receipt of this prestigious degree. Her research and hard work make her a most worthy recipient.

NEWSWATCH

Young Offenders Making Amends

The boys of the Bluewater Youth Centre near Goderich, Ontario, have foregone some of their monthly purchases to give money to help the parents of a murdered boy attend the trial of the accused. The residents and staff of the centre have raised $400 to help the Miller family offset the costs of attending the second degree murder trial of Jeffrey Wayne Manley who is charged with the brutal murder of their seven-year-old son, Danny. Bluewater volunteer coordinator Nancy Clarke said of the youths' decision to donate, "It teaches them self respect. They've probably never done anything like this before." Some of the 100 residents who gave donations have asked to contribute to a fund-raising campaign on a regular basis. (Goderich Signal Star, 5 July 95)

New B.C. Legislation Assists Crime Victims

The B.C. Government has passed amendments to existing legislation which will benefit the families of crime victims. Changes to the The Criminal Injury Compensation Act have broadened the terms for compensating victims to include not only the primary victims and dependents, but also members of a victim's immediate family. Parents, siblings and grandparents as well as children may claim for benefits which include grief counselling, compensation for lost wages and funeral expenses.

Ontario to Get Tough on Paroles

Criminals seeking early releases from Ontario prisons will soon face a much tougher parole board. Ontario Solicitor General Bob Runciman told the Toronto Sun, "We are going to change the whole make-up of the board so public safety is the overriding consideration in any decision taken. I think it could be described as a harder line." Runciman said there are too many softies on the parole board and not enough lawyers and cops. Under the former NDP government, parole board appointments included prisoner advocates from the John Howard Society. Defeated premier Bob Rae also appointed union activists to the board that jacked up early releases by 12%­or 300 convicts­in 1994.

Runciman also said, "We are reviewing the whole question of whether we require a parole board in Ontario. We are one of a few jurisdictions doing this and it costs us $5 million a year." Quebec and B.C. are the only other two Canadian provinces that administer their own parole boards. The feds handle it in the other provinces and territories. (The Toronto Sun, 3 Oct. 95)

A Gun Lobbyist's Concerns

At a recent speech to the House of Commons Justice Committee, George Duffy, a lobbyist for the Responsible Firearms Owners of Alberta, fired off his concerns about a gun control bill soon to be voted upon by the Canadian Parliament. "Children are going to cease to participate in (the gun lobby) because it is going to get too regulatory," said Duffy. "Children are going to say, ' I'm going to play golf, I'm going to play football.' Is that what the government wants?" (Sports Illustrated, Vol.82, No.21, 29 May 95)

Coming Soon to a Billboard Near You...

To help promote nation-wide awareness of CAVEAT, the SMW Advertising agency in Toronto has generously donated its time and expertise to produce the powerful "Who Really Got Life?" advertisement, to be used in newspapers, in bus shelters, and on billboards everywhere.

In addition, Mediacom has donated valuable advertising space on bus shelters and billboards across the country to help us spread our message.

Thank You, SMW Advertising and Mediacom.

Upcoming Events

November 4 & 5, 1995, Edmonton, Alberta

The University of Alberta's Safewalk organisation will be hosting a National Campus Safety Conference for university students. Priscilla de Villiers and members of CAVEAT Alberta will be participating. For information call Safewalk (403) 4-WALKME.

November 10, 1995, Burlington, Ontario

Rotary Dream Auction in support of CAVEAT. Tickets $65 each. Donated items for auctioning are welcomed. See left for details.

November 17, 1995, Langley, British Columbia

CAVEAT BC will be holding a fashion show event at the Bedford House in Langley, entitled, "Christmas with CAVEAT, In Loving Memory..." The evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails, and dinner and the fashion show will follow. Call CAVEAT BC to reserve tickets ($40 each) (604) 530-5829.

November 19, 1995, Hamilton, Ontario

Public forums for the whole family as part of SafetyNet 1995 opening ceremonies, Hamilton Convention Center, 3 - 5 pm. See below.

November 30, 1995, Thornhill, Ontario

Free Public Forum: Crimes, Courts & Consequences. Presented by CAVEAT in conjunction with 'The Yellow Brick House', a shelter for women and children. Panelists will include: a police chief, a crown attorney, and representatives from Corrections Canada and the National Parole Board. Sheraton Parkway Hotel, 600 Hwy 7 East, Thornhill, Ontario, Nov. 30, 7 pm - 9:30 pm.

March 1996

CAVEAT's Dawna Speers will be featured in the March 1996 issue of Flare Magazine. The article will explore power and control issues in relationships and will recount her daughter's tragic murder.

CAVEAT's New Gift Catalogue

We are about to embark on a new fund-raising project that will benefit both CAVEAT and the many Canadian artists, craftsmen and home business people who believe in CAVEAT's goals.

We are hoping to have available by Fall '96, a top-notch gift catalogue to be mailed right across Canada. Incredibly, just by word of mouth, the response from potential suppliers has been tremendous.

Our gift catalogue will have limited edition prints, fleece clothing, jewellery, personalized shirts, photographic reprints, hand-painted stationery, mini-prints, jewelled boxes, scarves, appliqued shawls ... and lots more.

Talented people from across Canada will have the opportunity to sell their products through our catalogue and all of us will be winners!

We are looking to include items which will be interesting, unique, reasonably priced and easy to ship. Perhaps you or someone you know would be more than thrilled to be part of this project. Let us know right away. Call, fax or write to Maddy at CAVEAT, Burlington, Ontario. Include as many details as possible. We will follow up on your leads. And next year, we will be saying, "Thank you for shopping at CAVEAT!"

Web Hosting by