Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa Justice Symposium

Ottawa, ON, July 20, 2010 - The Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa will be hosting its first Justice Symposium on Tuesday, August 10th at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa.  In honour of Prisoner Justice Day - a day set aside to remember all the men and women who have died unnatural deaths inside Canadian prisons - we will gather to pay tribute to those who have died in prison, learn more about the issues impacting crime, and motivate us all to do our part in improving justice in Canada.

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa supports the rights and needs of criminalized women and we are organizing this Justice Symposium to raise awareness and to help us provide hope, support, and encouragement to others.

Keynote speaker for the Justice Symposium, Anne Marie Hagan, is an insightful and knowledgeable motivational speaker.  Hailing from Kingman’s Cove, Newfoundland, Anne Marie is known for her ability to captivate an audience and effectively deliver a message of forgiveness and hope.  Having faced the incredible obstacle of the murder of her father, she challenges and empowers us to look beyond our anger to find the ability to forgive.  A fitting tribute to Prisoner Justice Day in Canada, the Justice Symposium is an Ottawa speaking engagement you do not want to miss. 

Prisoner Justice Day was born from the death of prisoner Edward Nalon, on August 10, 1974.  For Elizabeth Fry Society’s across Canada, this is an opportunity to remember Ashley Smith and all others who died in custody.  Their deaths draw attention to the inhumanity, indifference, and the unacceptable conditions of segregation in the prison system.

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa’s Justice Symposium will take place in the Theatre of the Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Avenue. Registration is $30 ($15 for students).   People are encouraged to register in advance through the Elizabeth Society of Ottawa office or online by going to www.efryottawa.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door, which opens at 2:30 pm for ticket sales.

For more information on the Justice Symposium or the work of the Elizabeth Fry Society of

Ottawa, please see our website at www.efryottawa.com.

Media enquiries to:

Bryonie Baxter

Executive Director

Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa

613.237.7427

Keynote speaker Anne Marie Hagan is available for media interviews in advance of the speaking engagement.  Contact Bryonie Baxter for more information.