Head of victim programs appointed to law commission advisory council

Mennonite Central Committee
Monday, 6 November 2000

WINNIPEG, Man. — A prominent advocate on behalf of victims of crime has been appointed to the Law Commission of Canada's advisory council.

Wilma Derksen, who heads up Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada's Victim Programs, will act as an advisor to the Commission for a three year term.

"I think it's really great that they have some grassroots representation. I think I represent the very ordinary person who has been changed by a crime," said Derksen. Derksen's 13-year-old daughter Candace was abducted and murdered in 1984.

The Law Commission of Canada is an independent law reform agency that critically examines laws as well as the principles and performance of the Canadian legal system. The advisory council--which currently consists of 22 people--assists the Commission by identifying which issues of law and justice are preoccupying Canadians, and helping the Commission understand the practical impact of its recommendations.

Bruno Bonneville, executive director of the Commission, said the Law Commission seeks an advisory council "that reflect views of as many Canadians as possible."

He said Derksen's interest in victims' issues makes her a valuable addition. "We need that point of view to help us determine better ways of managing and conceiving law in Canada."

Derksen said she's noticing a new openness in the justice system to listen to the concerns of victims of crime. "I hope to bring all the pain and the stories that I hear in my work to the Commission," she said.

Derksen, who will carry on her work with MCC, will assume the advisory council position in January 2001.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org