Help Brenda raise money

Walking for justice in our own backyard: Join us July 11 at Killarny Lake

North Shore Restorative Justice (NSRJ) has been serving the North Shore - Deep Cove to Bowen Island) for over two decades, through work with police, schools, and our youth’s social justice lab.   Restorative justice is a form of justice that works with existing systems to strengthen relationships and repair the harm done following wrongdoing.  It is a form of justice that has roots in Indigenous and faith-based traditions, and we are currently developing new initiatives with the Squamish Nation and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.  

The practice of restorative justice has been shown to increase emotional literacy, mental health, empathy, develop understanding across diverse groups, build community and engagement at school, increase confidence in the justice system, reduce repeat offending and save cost in our justice system.  One dollar spent on restorative justice saves eight dollars in our conventional justice system.

Restorative Justice offers:

 An opportunity to tell your story

A chance to explain how you have been impacted 

A safe, caring and respectful place to share your story 

Involvement and support through a problem-solving approach 

Conflict resolution and a chance to repair relationships 

A better understanding of the incident and its impacts 

An opportunity to take responsibility for one's actions 

Meaningful outcomes and an opportunity for closure 

The practice is community born and lead, with community members serving in different ways; for example, as board members, volunteer committee members, restorative justice facilitators and supporters within the process.  

We started our walk on Bowen Island with the final passages from Wab Kinew’s book “The Reason you Walk”:

Whether we are young or old, whether our skin is light or dark, whether we are man or woman, we share a common humanity and are all headed for a common destiny.  That should bind us together more strongly than divisions can push us apart.  So long as anything other than love governs our relationship with others, we have work to do.

When the divisions win out, we need to work hard and bring that which has been broken apart back together again.

We ought to recognize that our greatest battle is not with one another but with our pain, our problems, and our flaws.

To be hurt, yet forgive.   To do wrong, but forgive yourself.   To depart from this world leaving only love.

This is the reason you walk.

We welcome our diverse communities on the North Shore to walk with us in nurturing an inclusive and justice society.