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From Injustice to Reform -The Birth of Canada’s Miscarriages of Justice Commission - Ruth Van Vierzen : 169
Manage episode 509289586 series 2792994
Ruth van Vierzen's journey began in 1970, the year she was born and David Milgaard was wrongfully convicted of murder. While Ruth built her life, Milgaard spent years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, until his release in 1992. This injustice inspired a remarkable advocacy journey that ultimately reshaped Canadian law.
In 2019, after Milgaard advocated for an independent commission to address wrongful convictions, Ruth reached out to him via LinkedIn. This connection led to the formation of a powerful advocacy group, including lawyer James Lockyer, wrongfully imprisoned Ron Dalton, and filmmaker Lori Kuffner.
Through strategic letter writing, media engagement, and lobbying, the group secured meetings with Justice Minister David Lametti, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Miscarriage of Justice Commission. This was significant because Canada was the only G7 nation without such a body to review wrongful convictions, despite numerous government recommendations.
The commission is crucial for all Canadians, particularly Indigenous people who are disproportionately affected by wrongful convictions. Though Milgaard passed away in 2022 before the commission was fully implemented, his legacy lives on in the David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law, a symbol of transformative advocacy.
Ruth’s story shows that meaningful change often starts with one person's determination to take action or refuse to give up. When we see injustice, we all have the power and perhaps the responsibility to be that person. What issue matters enough to you that you would be willing to persist until you see change?
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Chapters
1. From Injustice to Reform -The Birth of Canada’s Miscarriages of Justice Commission - Ruth Van Vierzen : 169 (00:00:00)
2. The Milgaard case and lifelong impact (00:02:21)
3. 2019 spark and first outreach (00:04:40)
4. Forming the core advocacy team (00:07:20)
5. Strategy: letters, media, and meetings (00:09:50)
6. Consultations and voices of the wrongfully convicted (00:13:25)
7. Why Canada needed an independent commission (00:16:10)
8. How the new commission changes the process (00:19:20)
9. Design questions: membership, terms, representation (00:22:10)
10. Politics, funding, and staying vigilant (00:25:00)
11. Media silence and building public awareness (00:28:00)
12. Real-world ripple effects and community cases (00:31:00)
13. Civic persistence over bureaucracy (00:34:10)
14. Local transparency, trust, and accountability (00:37:20)
15. The nail-biting path to passage (00:40:00)
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