Actions

If you would like to take action in response to Bill C-10, some groups concerned with justice have proposed ways to do so.

Materials

  • For individuals and denominational leaders who would like to express their concerns about Bill C-10 to our Senatorial leaders, the CCJC has prepared a template for letters to the Senate on Bill C-10: (C-10 letter to Senate template).  Please feel free to personalize the letter and send to senators, whose contact information is listed below.
  • The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has begun public hearings on Bill C-10, which will continue through February. For committee meeting times, agenda, mandate, membership, recent reports and minutes of proceeding, click here. If you are unable to attend the hearings in Ottawa, but would like to follow the proceeding, links for webcasts and twitter hashtags can be viewed here: In English/En Français.
  • LeadNow.ca has created a petition that can be used as a template to voice your opposition to Bill C-10. Personalize the letter and send it to senators directly from the LeadNow website, or view the text in a Word document here: [Lead Now Petition Against C-10], and mail the petition yourself.
  • In collaboration with the National Associations Active in Criminal Justice (NAACJ), Smart Justice has created a resource that makes it easier to contact political decision makers in order to express concerns about Bill C-10. You may download a pre-formatted listing of senators (Avery labels # 5163 – senators) and provincial and territorial justice persons (Avery labels # 5160 – PT justice persons) by clicking on the label #. The Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs may have the most influence on the Senate’s decision regarding C-10. A list of all senators on that committee may be retrieved here (Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs).

Suggestions

  • Mark Vander Vennen, Executive Director of the Shalem Mental Health Network, presents a call to action in his New Year’s Resolution piece A New Year for Building Community. In the face of proposed criminal justice legislation, Mark highlights the framework provided by faith traditions for promoting a restorative – rather than a punitive – response to harm.
  • The Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice (CUSJ) are tweeting from the Senate hearings on Bill C-10 throughout February. Contact CUSJ to learn how to get involved, or read the blog of Frances Deverell for a perspective on the Senate hearings underway.
  • Irvin Waller, a professor at the University of Ottawa, proposes an amendment to Bill C-10: the creation of a Crime Reduction Board. Read about Professor Waller’s suggestions here, and contact members of the Senate if you would like to see this amendment added to Bill C-10 (Crime Reduction Board for Canada).
  • Please check back regularly for an updated list of resources and actions