This past Saturday I participated in the Walk For Remembrance organized by the Manitoba Organization for Victims Assistance (MOVA) which went from the Manitoba Legislature to the Forks. It was a snowy and cold day for April but any thought of the weather quickly ended as I spoke with those who were walking in remembrance of a loved one.
Most of those participating were there to honour a family member who had been the victim of murder. During the walk I had the chance to speak with several families who shared the story of the tragic loss of their loved one to murder. Losing a close family member this way is unimaginable. Many of those walking had joined MOVA as a way to try to bring something positive out of a horrible situation.
What was clear from those that I spoke with is that this type of loss is something that you never get over, it’s just a matter of trying to deal with it the best you can day to day. Family members described to me how years after the crime, they will suddenly break out into tears as memories come back at unexpected times.
The way in which families deal with their loss differs. This month Wilma and Cliff Derksen, whose daughter Candace was murdered in 1984, are holding an art show of works that they have created. Art gives them an outlet for their emotions as they deal with the loss of their daughter and the subsequent trials. Art gives them a way to express emotions and feelings.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that the justice system can do that can bring back a loved one or that can end the pain for a family who has had a loved one murdered. But there are things that the justice system can do that make things easier for victims and their families. And some positive steps are happening.
That’s why I was glad to join Manitoba Regional Minister Shelly Glover, the Member of Parliament for St. Boniface, last week as part of the federal government’s announcement of a new Victim’s Bill of Rights. The Victim’s Bill of Rights will provide some common sense tools to victims as they see cases proceed through the criminal justice system. It will provide them a right to information about the progress of the case against the accused. It allows them to provide their views to justice officials throughout the process and the right to a victim impact statement. It also allows for them to apply for restitution against a convicted offender.
In short, it offers victims dignity through a process that is heavily weighted to the concerns of the accused. Dignity that they have far too often been denied
