Opening Ceremony
Welcome by Jan Fox (CMNCP), Matthew Swarney (Motorola Solutions) and Randy Boissonnault (Edmonton)
WE ARE ALL CALLED TO ACTION: HISTORY, HISTORIC TRAUMA AND HEALING IN THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY SAFETY
The keynote presentation by Senator LaBoucane-Benson discusses Canadian history, how our laws have deeply affected Indigenous people, as well as a framework for inclusive collective healing in the context of community safety.
BEYOND RAINBOWS: LGBTQ2 CANADIANS AND COMMUNITY SAFETY NEEDS AND CONCERNS
This interactive panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Wells, focuses on providing those responsible for or interested in community safety and crime prevention in local communities with perspectives on LGBTQ2 experiences, needs, issues and trends related to community well-being, safety, and
inclusion.
Moderator: Dr. Kristopher Wells
Panelists: Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan and Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc
ERADICATING VIOLENCE: ESSENTIALS THAT DO NOT LEAVE PEOPLE BEHIND
This panel discussion, moderated by Irvin Waller, focuses on providing those responsible for or
interested in community safety and crime prevention in local communities with perspectives on how to tackle violence at the local level using evidence-based approaches while applying a diversity, equity, and anti-racism/oppression lens. COVID has taught us the importance of prevention as well as decision making based on evidence. It has also taught us to learn from successes and failures from other countries. Street and gender-based violence is disproportionately concentrated in locations that are racialized and poor. Those individuals perpetrating violence are most often men. The victims of gender-based violence are almost always women. The evidence shows that the best and most cost-effective way to reduce violence is prevention.
Moderator: Irvin Waller
Panelists: Denise Andrea Campbell, Ariane de Palacio, and Lib Peck
INSPIRE: ELIMINATING VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
The INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children technical package is relevant to
preventing violence among people of all ages. The session focuses on lessons learned from the Cure
Violence programme, which is a model programme within the INSPIRE safe environments strategy. Multiple quasi-experimental evaluations conducted in Chicago, Baltimore, Brooklyn, and New York City found that Cure Violence is associated with fewer shootings, killings, and retaliatory killings in communities where it has been fully implemented, with 20–70% reductions in violence. The Cure Violence model conceptualizes violence as an epidemic disease with three main components to stop it: 1) interrupting transmission in the community; 2) preventing its spread in the community; and 3) changing community norms or conditions that sustain transmission.
Presenters: Mark Bellis, Alexander Butchart, and Brent Decker
RETHINKING HOMELESSNESS: PLANNING BEYOND THE HIERARCHIES OF NEED
This panel discussion, moderated by Jordon Babando, focuses on rethinking how to address
homelessness at the local level through community responses by recognizing that people need housing, income, and accessible food but they also need respect, purpose, and connections. This session explores the works of Homelessness Hub, Soloss, and InWithForward. While COVID-19 continues to bring loss of work, social connection, and personal security, it also increasingly creates social polarization, increased visibility of homelessness, and hostility toward those struggling with
homelessness.
Moderator: Jordon Babando
Panelists: Jessica Braimoh, Hayley Irving, and Sarah Schulman
ADDRESSING SOCIAL POLARIZATION AND HATE CRIMES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
COVID-19 has increased social polarization, discrimination, and hate-motivated crimes in
communities across Canada. We are already seeing an increase in violent incidents targeted towards marginalized communities. This panel discussion, moderated by Ghayda Hassan, focuses on how communities and local governments can address social polarization. The session explores the works of John McCoy on homegrown violent extremism as well as those of Tariq Tyab and Yusuf Siraj from the anti-racism organization Islam Unravelled on online and offline anti-Muslim bigotry and Islamophobia in Canada. Further, Abhi Ahulwalia and Lakhdeep Dhaliwal from Unlearn share how they use design to enter critical conversations around human rights, equity, and social justice. Ghayda Hassan also discusses her own work around intercommunity relations and violent extremism within the field of clinical cultural psychology.
Moderator: Ghayda Hassan
Panelists: Abhi Ahluwalia, Lakhdeep Dhaliwal, John McCoy, Yusuf Sirag, and Tariq Tyab
GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: ADDRESSING THE SYSTEMIC NATURE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Whether it is the increase in COVID-19 cases or the rollout of the vaccine, the current COVID-19
pandemic has exposed many of the systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities in Canada. This panel reflects on how systems of oppression such as White supremacy, imperialism, and colonialism affect crime and community safety and well-being. This session features the works and perspectives of Conrad Prince, the director of the National Reconciliation Program whose work
focuses on systemic discrimination and inequality impacting Indigenous child rights; Robert Wright, a social worker and sociologist whose vast array of work includes challenging Anti-Blackness within the justice system and promoting cultural competency in the workplace; and Lori Campbell, the associate vice-president of Indigenous Engagement at the University of Regina who is working to create systemic changes in the institution’s policies and procedures.
Moderator: Aina-Nia Grant
Panelists: Lori Campbell, Conrad Prince, and Robert Wright
RURAL CRIME PREVENTION
The crimes committed in rural communities often differ from urban centres, however research on
crime prevention and community safety has largely focused on urban centres leaving gaps in research and practice in rural areas. Further, the specific needs and unique challenges experienced
by rural communities have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this session is to explore previous projects relating to rural crime prevention and address how rural communities can increase capacity to meet the community safety and well-being needs of their residents.
Moderators: Jean Bota and Jan Fox
Panelists: Paul Edginton, Heather Leslie, and Jeanine Webber
CLOSING CEREMONY
Moderator: Heidi Illingworth
Closing remarks by Cindy Blackstock (First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada)
and Jan Fox (CMNCP)
CLOSING KEYNOTE
Moderator: Heidi Illingworth
Closing remarks by Matthew Swarney (Motorola Solutions) and Juma Assiago (UN-Habitat Safer Cities)
Presentations:
- LEARNINGS FROM COVID-19 AT MACEWAN UNIVERSITY AND THE ROLE OF EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL/RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS (Annette Trimbee)
- CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND COMMUNITY SAFETY PLANNING: LESSONS FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (Roxanne Springer)
- HISTORICAL IMPACTS INTO CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES: PRAIRIE URBAN INDIGENOUS REALITIES IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC (Erica Beaudin)
- WHAT CAN POLICE AND POLICING LEARN FROM COVID-19? (Nishan Duraiappah)
