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President's Report June 2002 It is with a great deal of pride and some regret, that I write this, my last President's Report for the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. As I reflect back on our accomplishments, as well as our many challenges during my tenure, I am struck by the ongoing and prevailing examples of the strength and commitment of our network to the issues that face women prisoners in this country. The roots of our network are strong and firmly implanted in our communities. The strength of this anchoring to our communities is evident in all of the work we do, particularly that which is carried out by the CAEFS' office. It is testament to the work and strength of our organization that the many volunteers, members, staff and supporters of the Elizabeth Fry network show unprecedented, energy, knowledge, and commitment to social and criminal justice issues. There are many issues with which CAEFS is involved on a daily basis throughout the country. The range of services from early intervention work with young people who are identified as being at risk of being marginalized in our communities is extremely important and vital to forming a foundation for many of the other activities with which we are involved. Likewise, the public education and community development work with which our membership is engaged provides the bedrock for the diversionary and community reintegration efforts that provide the very visible and most challenging aspects of our work with criminalized women. In short, from coast to coast across this great nation, our membership is involved in services that range from early intervention and preventative work, to intensive work with those who have been the most brutally victimized by and in our legal system. This year, we will see the further movement of CAEFS onto the international stage, as we conclude the work on our systemic Human Rights Complaint on behalf of all women serving federal sentences. In addition, the very important research that we are conducting with respect to the criminalization of women with mental and cognitive disabilities will also be moved forward. Both of these efforts will not only positively impact the circumstances of women serving the sentences of two years or more of imprisonment, but the ramifications of this work will also be applicable to those women who are serving provincially administered sentences of less than two years. In particular, by holding the Canadian government to the legal standard that it has set for itself by virtue of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Provincial and Territorial Governments will also be put on notice and future challenges may also come their way. Some of this will more immediately achieved by the anticipated involvement of CAEFS in the inquest into the death of Kimberly Rogers, the 40-year-old pregnant women who died in her apartment, which became her prison as a result of her conviction for fraud. While we will attempt to ensure that community based sentencing options are not only continued, but expanded, for women, this inquest will also provide an opportunity for CAEFS to continue to enhance our call for the decriminalization of such ridiculous notions as "welfare fraud". We also hope that this coming year will finally see the closure of the segregated maximum security units for women that are currently in place in the men's prisons. This will not end our work, however, as we will undoubtedly remain vigilante to ensure that the situations for women in the regional prisons, both those classified as minimum and maximum-security prisoners, enjoy a quality of life commensurate with their legal and policy entitlements. Finally, our efforts to ensure that women may actually be integrated into the community following their terms of imprisonment will remain a challenge to which our network has very enthusiastically and ably responded. In summary, as we head into this next year, I am confident that I leave the Presidency of this organization at one of its high points. Despite an ever-increasing encroachment on progressive thinking in this country, our vision and direction remain clear and unsullied by political or economic pressures to alter our very important mandate. We remain united and clear in our advocacy and our determination to ensure that we do indeed work with and on behalf of criminalized women and girls. Congratulations to all of you and many thanks for a wonderful experience as President of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. I would like to express my personal thanks to Kim Pate for all of her support over the years. Kim has taught me so much about what total and true commitment means. Most importantly, her knowledge, advocacy and persistence means so much to the women she works with who often are let down by so many. It has been my pleasure working with you Kim, and I know you won't hesitate to knock at my door should I be able to assist CAEFS in the future. |
