An interview with our newest staff member, Karen Ridd |
| Matt: Welcome to CFSC, Karen! What’s surprised you about your work here so far? Karen: Thanks! I’m delighted to have joined CFSC! One great surprise actually happened during my interview for this position. I’d come prepared to suggest a name change away from talking about “criminal justice” work towards something that doesn’t stigmatize people who are currently incarcerated. But when I arrived at the job interview I found out that the change had already happened. Now CFSC is talking about its work in this area as “transformative justice” work. Much better!… Keep reading ›› |
| Jennifer Preston and Paul Joffe at the UN in Geneva |
The UN Declaration has shaped my life for 25 years |
| CFSC staff have a book club. Recently we finished reading and discussing Realizing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Triumph, Hope, and Action. I co-edited this book with CFSC associate, and long-time legal counsel with the Cree Nation Government/Grand Council of the Crees, Paul Joffe, and then staff at the First Nations Summit, Jackie Hartley. We started work on the volume in 2008 and it was published in 2010. As the book club was concluding our discussions, one of the staff asked what it was like for me to go back to the book all these years later. Therein lies a tale… Keep reading ›› |
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Could a guaranteed liveable basic income help reduce incarceration? |
| “You probably believe in a Guaranteed Basic Income, too!” the voice on the other end of the phone said mockingly. Guaranteed Basic Income? Actually, I’d never heard of that before—but it immediately struck me as a good idea. I was a new mother at the time, calling my provincial Premier to raise concerns about the reduction of funding to services in my inner-city neighbourhood. I knew the Premier’s staffer and I were going to disagree. I didn’t expect that she would (albeit unintentionally) teach me something important… Keep reading ›› |
| Protesters in Toronto hold up signs calling for Canada to support a ceasefire in Gaza, Dec 2023 |
Canada’s about-face on Gaza shows people power at work |
| Canadian Friends have shown their concern and support for the people of Israel, Palestine, and particularly Gaza, strongly over the past six months, and it has been heartening to see. Since the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack and taking of Israeli hostages, Israel has led an ongoing assault on Gaza. This has been truly devastating. It has deeply affected not only everyone in Gaza, but safety and security in the whole region. Despite original unquestioning support of Israel, the Canadian government was forced to acknowledge the need for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid access, upholding its commitment to international law, and an arms embargo with Israel… Keep reading ›› |
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