Mr. Speaker, this week, the Correctional Service of Canada and communities throughout the country are celebrating Restorative Justice Week.
Restorative justice focuses on victims, the accountability of offenders, and the involvement of citizens in creating healthier, safer communities.
This year, the Correctional Service of Canada established the Restorative Justice Award in memory of Ron Wiebe, most recently the warden of the Elbow Lake and Ferndale correctional institutions. Mr. Wiebe passed away in July after a tough battle with cancer.
Yesterday, at Ferndale Institution, CSC Commissioner Ole Ingstrup presented the first Ron Wiebe restorative justice award.
The first award went to the Church Council on Justice and Corrections, which is celebrating 25 years of educating and advocating for restorative justice. The second is being awarded posthumously to Eleanor Brown, a senior citizen volunteer who was very involved in this field.
I urge all members to join with me in congratulating the recipients of the first Ron Wiebe award for restorative justice.