The 2008 National Ron Wiebe Restorative Justice Award Recipient

Otto and Florence Driedger

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is proud to announce that this year's recipients of the National Ron Wiebe Restorative Justice Award are Otto and Florence Driedger!

Otto and Florence have been advancing the principles of restorative justice and community building for 30 to 40 years.

They have now been retired for several years, but have always worked as a couple and have lead exemplary lives reflecting on the principles of restorative justice.

Otto and Florence have made an impact on the field of restorative justice in the following three areas: education, international development and volunteer work. They have blended the three areas seamlessly in their lives. They are knowledgeable, positive, and caring individuals who serve as an inspiration to everyone involved with restorative justice and I would personally like to thank them for all they have done for communities in Canada and around the world.

As academics individually, Florence, as an assistant professor and lecturer has made an important contribution to developing a future cadre of restorative justice practitioners through her work as a practicum supervisor. The School of Justice Studies provides an inter-disciplinary professional program that includes a practicum or field placement. From 1996-2001, Florence found restorative justice agencies and other organizations that were willing to accept students who were particularly interested in restorative justice. This provided an opportunity for the students to develop professional skills and apply the concepts of restorative justice to the types of issues and cases they would encounter in their careers.

Otto, a Professor Emeritus, made an equally important contribution by teaching, sitting on the committees of graduate students, acting as an external examiner for graduate students and working on an international exchange program. He taught classes on restorative justice, and his assistance was invaluable in helping students complete their Master of Arts theses on restorative justice. Moreover, from 1994-2002, Otto coordinated an exchange project between three Canadian universities and five universities in the European Union. The participants took courses on restorative justice; worked in field placements with community-based agencies, government departments and justice agencies; and wrote their theses. This provided a unique opportunity for faculty, students and organizations to benefit from exchanging ideas and information about restorative justice in Canada and abroad.

The research conducted by the graduate students who Otto supervised and by students in the international exchange program was groundbreaking at the time. For example, the students looked at topics such as the extent to which frontline Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers supported restorative justice; how Aboriginal organizations were blending restorative justice with their unique cultural traditions; and the barriers that made it difficult for restorative practitioners to implement restorative justice.

Otto and Florence continue to be involved in assisting students and organizing conferences and events. For example, they were instrumental in organizing the Peace, Restorative Justice & Human Rights Conference in Regina for Restorative Justice Week 2007. This conference included presentations by former Judge Barry Stuart, as well as Roman Koval with the Ukraine Centre for Common Ground.

Based in Regina, Otto and Florence are the founders of Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) in the Southern reaches of Saskatchewan. As such, they have demonstrated an adept ability to draw together disparate segments of the community to work collaboratively on vexing social issues. They have also managed to bring together various elements of the faith community to focus their social justice efforts on local issues.

This couple exemplifies a courage and tenacity reminiscent of the pioneers who shaped the bones of this Canada we all know and cherish. That they have done so in the name of peace, healing and restoration among the victims and survivors of violence and those who have perpetrated crime in our communities is a commitment to be treasured by restorative justice communities across Canada.

One of the nominators stated that whatever role Otto and Florence have taken on in their lives, whether it be as bureaucrats, academics, educators, pastors, parents, pseudo-parents or Canadian citizens - this couple is a national treasure and a gift to the restorative movements in Canada.

Otto and Florence, along with the other nominees for the Ron Wiebe Award, reminds us that Canadians are committed to restorative justice and public safety.

Congratulations to Otto and Florence Driedger on their successes!

Marc-Arthur Hyppolite
Assistant Commissioner
Correctional Operations and Programs