Upcoming Events

Does Sparing the Victim Spoil the Trial? Examining Victim Participation in the Criminal Justice Process

Halifax, Nova Scotia
Sept. 24th, 2007
Presented by the Nova Scotia Deptartment of Justice, Victim Services, and Dalhousie Law School

Symposium Presenters:
Alan Young, Law Professor at York University, Osgoode Law School
Steve Sullivan, Federal Victim Ombudsman
Priscilla DeVilliers, Victim Advocate

Panelists:
Joel Pink, Defence Attorney
Judge Anne Derrick, Provincial Court
Frank Hoskins, Crown Attorney

Responding to Child & Youth Victims of Sexual Exploitation on the Internet

Collingwood, Ontario
September 24-27, 2007

This 4-day training seminar is for professionals from a variety of disciplines including, but not limited to counselling, medicine, victim support and advocacy, law enforcement, crown attorneys, child protection and education. The purpose of the training is to provide information and education to professionals in Ontario who are working with children and youth who have been sexually exploited on the internet, as well as their families and communities. The goal is to provide opportunities for multi - disciplinary professionals to work together to develop strategies and best practice principles that can be implemented across the province of Ontario in keeping with the Provincial Strategy developed by the Ministry of the Attorney General.

For information please visit: www.boostforkids.org/pdf/RCE-Brochure.pdf

National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (NCECC) Law Enforcement Conference

Ottawa, Ontario
September 25-27, 2007

This workshop is specifically designed for Internet-facilitated child sexual exploitation investigators. This workshop provides an opportunity for investigators to share best practices, discuss current challenges/concerns and to develop/exchange investigative techniques.

Program highlights include:

• Victim identification
• Child prostitution
• Multi-jurisdictional Case studies
• Offender and Victim profiles
• Traveling child sex offenders

For more information please see: http://ncecc.ca/

MADD Canada National Chapter Leadership Conference

Toronto, Ontario
September 28-29, 2007

For more information please see: http://www.madd.ca/

Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ 30th Annual memorial service

Ottawa, Ontario
September 30, 2007

The Annual Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, September 30, 2007. Once again, police and peace officers from across Canada will meet on Parliament Hill to honour fallen comrades. The Memorial Service is held every year to keep their memory alive, and to ensure that the magnitude of their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

The tradition started following the death of Ottawa Police Constable David Kirkwood in 1977. The first Memorial was organized by the Ottawa Police and the 30th Field Regiment (the By-Town Gunners), who fired a two-gun salute in the memory of fallen officers. The By-Town Gunners presented a memorial to the Ottawa Police that was fashioned from one of the two shell casings from the original salute. In 2002, to recognize the 25th year landmark of the Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Service, the shell casing memorial piece was unveiled at a ceremony. It is on display in the lobby of Ottawa Police Headquarters.

For more information please see: http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/about_ops/history/officers_main.cfm

National Victims of Crime Conference 2007

Sydney, Australia
October 2-3, 2007

The purpose of this conference is to examine Charters for Victims of Crime. The intention is to analyse the processes of implementation, explore the challenges of compliance including identifying any gaps in compliance and take a closer look at the various ways of understanding the Charter(s) from the perspectives of both victims and service providers.

The conference will focus on victims rights as victims progress through the criminal justice system. The sub themes relate to various aspects of Charter principles:

• When a person first becomes a victim of crime
• The investigative process
• Information and support services available to victims of crime
• Pre-court preparation, court and post-court support
• Access and equality for specific groups (such as rights for Children, Youth, People with Disability, Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Mental Health and Aged)

For more information please see: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
/lawlink/victimsservices/ll_vs.nsf/pages/VS_aboutusconference

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RECENT EVENTS

2007 North American Victim Assistance Conference

Programs & Partnerships: A Winning Combination
Reno, Nevada
July 22-27, 2007

The 33rd Annual conference aims to engage attendees in learning creative, effective ways to better serve victims and survivors, manage dynamic programs, and enhance working relationships among victim service providers and allied agencies.

In addition, the Conference includes the following plenary sessions:

• Effective Partnerships: System-Based and Non-Profit Victim Assistance Programs
• Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Assisting Victims Following A Terrorist Incident
• Influencing Public Policy
• Getting Involved: Fighting for Victims' Rights

Attending this conference will provide an opportunity to establish links with national and international counterparts to promote the newly established Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crimes as outreach is an extremely important part of our mandate. The conference will enable us to expand the reach of victim service programs through strategic partnerships on the local, state, national, and international levels.

It also will provide valuable information to help us to respond to our commitment to identify emerging issues and explore systemic issues that impact negatively on victims of crime.

For information please visit: http://www.trynova.org/conference/2007/