Restorative justice is a relational, victim-centered response to crime and conflict. Facilitators work with involved parties to discuss the harm that was done and how the wrongdoer can take responsibility to repair that harm. The focus is shifted from punishment to the active involvement of victims, offenders and the community in finding solutions that address the underlying causes.

Our speakers, Clare Jennings and Gillian Lindquist, discuss restorative justice in the context of the legal landscape. They will explain how to identify the right cases to achieve restorative justice and how to seek beneficial resolutions for clients such as criminal defendants and their victims.

Learn how restorative justice works and how to find the right support in your area.

About Gillian Lindquist

Gillian Lindquist has worked in the areas of conflict management and restorative justice since 2004. She holds certificates in both, as well as a BA in Justice Studies. Throughout her career, she has worked with a variety of community-based agencies and developed a passion for victim-centered approaches. She has been the Executive Director of Restorative Justice Victoria since 2009, which receives referrals from police, Crown, judges, probation, and members of the public, and deals with minor to serious offences involving youth and adult victims and offenders. Gillian has many years of experience doing innovative, research-informed, highly individualized restorative justice practice in the community. This includes managing over 900 cases, liaising with community partners and referral sources, and training hundreds of restorative justice practitioners.

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About Clare Jennings, K.C.

Clare Jennings is a Crown Counsel with the Victoria Crown Counsel office, where she has worked since her call to the bar in 2008. Ms. Jennings has primarily worked as a trial Crown, including prosecuting complex and serious murder files. She has also spent time as a bail Crown, and on appellate work through both summary conviction appeals and at the BC Court of Appeal. A regular mentor to other Crown, Ms. Jennings has been principal to two articled students. Most recently, she has taken on the role of administrative crown counsel in Victoria.

Outside of the office, she has spent a lot of her time volunteering. In addition to significant volunteering with CBABC, leading to her role as president (and, she hopes, beyond), Ms. Jennings was, until 2021, a coach for the University of Victoria MacIntyre Moot team. She regularly assists as a guest judge for other moots and advocacy classes; sometimes assists as a guest lecturer in courses and at PLTC; and has also been a regular presenter of professional development, both with the BC Prosecution Service and through CBABC.

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About Boyd Peters, 

Director, Sts'ailes' Rights and Title Department.
Boyd ("Xoyet thet") was born and raised in Sts'ailes and has been elected to Council for more than 20 years. He is responsible for looking after Sts'ailes' Xa'xa Temexw - an expression that conveys the spiritual, physical, and cultural connections that the Sts'ailes people have with the land, water, and resources in their territory.

After Boyd carried out the 1998 community consultation for the Elbow Lake Aboriginal-focused facility in partnership with Correctional Service Canada (CSC), he was hired as the transition coordinator, became executive assistant to the Chief in 2002 and is now the Aboriginal Rights & Title director. Boyd has also been an active member of the Kwìkwèxwelhp Citizens Advisory Committee and was appointed chairperson in 2006.

Boyd is quoted in the document Kwikwèxwelhp and Sts'ailes, A Historical Journey in Healing Aboriginal Offenders that "a common understanding of our people is that our strength is derived from our culture and spirituality. We are a prosperous First Nation that has developed many innovative made-in-Sts'ailes programs and services and are glad to provide these culturally appropriate services for the Kwikw'te'alex (Elbow Lake Brothers). We recognize that our brothers are vastly over-represented in the prison system and believe that our people have the capacity to help offenders in their healing path. We are open to sharing our cultural and traditional forms of healing for the reintegration of offenders into their home communities. The safety and well-being of all our communities benefit. It is a mutually-beneficial relationship that has gained national and international recognition."

This recording is hosted by CBABC, which is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations. We encourage our members to explore the rich history and knowledge of Indigenous people, and to continue learning about their experience in Canada, past and present.