December, 2025

2026 Calendars are here !

The John Howard Society Inmate Art Calendars are here and ready.  Bruno, our JHS mascot, insisted on purchasing a calendar before they were sold out  !!  Contact us at 705.673.9576 or at office@johnhowardsudbury.com to pick one up.  They are inflation proof and at the same price as last year !  Just $20.00 and all proceeds are used for JHS programs and services.

In The News

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

December 6

It has been over 35 years since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal (December 6, 1989). This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led Parliament to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

As we mourn their loss and remember their lives, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy, and the misogyny that still exists today. In Canada and around the world, women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals face unacceptable violence and discrimination. Gender-based violence in Canada has been magnified and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been reports from police services, shelters, and local organization of an increase in calls related to gender-based violence across Canada during the pandemic.

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it. It is also a time to take action. Achieving a Canada free from gender-based violence requires everyone living in this country to educate themselves and their families and communities on gender-based violence, centre the voices of survivors in our actions and speak up against harmful behaviours.

On this day, we wear a white ribbon to honour the victims and call for an end to gender-based violence. The White Ribbon Campaign is a global movement of men and boys in more than 60 countries working to end male violence against women and girls. It began in Toronto in 1991 in response to the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre.

For more information go to:   www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/16-days/national-day-remembrance.html

Human rights—in Canada and around the world—have never been more important than they are today.

December 10  Human Rights Day

Following the 2025 Speech from the Throne, Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, Interim Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney along with all members of Canada’s new Parliament and issues the following statement:

Now is an opportunity for the country to remain true to Canadian values, to look at what unites us, and to put in place bold policies that strengthen our country.

Canadians care about human rights—86% agree that human rights have a social and democratic benefit. Our commitment to human rights – to equality, dignity and respect for all – is what makes us who we are. It is a Canadian value, and a defining part of our shared identity.

Today, Canada faces significant and complex challenges. This government has committed to addressing the rising cost of living and the urgent need for adequate housing, to championing the safe integration of artificial intelligence into society, and to standing firm in protecting of our sovereignty.

We believe that meaningful, sustainable solutions to these challenges must be rooted in a steadfast commitment to human rights. Whether we are growing our economy, making housing more affordable, addressing systemic racism and the rise in hate, creating a barrier-free Canada, upholding Canada’s diversity and serving the most vulnerable, or ensuring that every person has the opportunity to live free from discrimination, Canadians are looking for leadership that reflects their values and aspirations.

As we chart the course ahead, we must lead with the values of equality, dignity, and respect for all. This means advancing accessibility for people with disabilities, closing persistent pay gaps through pay equity, and removing systemic barriers so that everyone can fully participate in society.

Building a strong Canada will take all of us. Making sure everyone is included and can participate will only make us stronger.

Congratulations Sara, our CEO !!

A few weeks ago, Sara was the expert guest on the provincial CBC radio show at noon.  It is a call in show on various pertinent topics that affect all people from Ontario.  The show was about shoplifting, causes, programs that work for those who shoplift and most importantly people from Ontario who have shoplifted and why.   Congratulations Sara on your knowledge and representing all John Howard Societies across Ontario !

Corrections Canada disciplines employees for 400 misconduct cases, 12 fired

CTV News  By Daniel Otis

Canada’s federal prison agency has recorded 400 cases of discipline for employee misconduct and wrongdoing that ranges from sleeping on duty to sexual harassment and excessive use of force.

Twelve of these misconduct cases resulted in termination, which was the most severe consequence. Causes for termination included bringing contraband into institutions, engaging in sexual acts in the workplace, and associating “with individuals with criminality” outside of professional duties.

The disciplinary measures were revealed in Correctional Service of Canada’s first Annual Report on Addressing Wrongdoing and Misconduct, which was published on Thursday. The report covers the 2024-25 fiscal year, which runs from April 2024 to the end of March 2025.

In addition to the 12 terminations, other disciplinary measures included 72 oral reprimands, 189 written reprimands, 124 suspensions without pay, one financial penalty and two demotions. Some employees received more than one disciplinary measure. More than 100 additional misconduct investigations were incomplete in the period covered by the report.

Misconduct resulting in discipline also included insubordination, inappropriate touching, sharing protected information with offenders and being absent without permission. According to the report, excessive use of force accounted for most cases.

“Breaches of conduct are addressed effectively, regardless of position, to ensure fairness and accountability,” Corrections Canada Commissioner Anne Kelly said in the report’s introduction.

“Despite our efforts, wrongdoing and misconduct can occur, impacting [Correctional Service of Canada’s] reputation and public trust.”

For full article go to: www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/corrections-canada-disciplines-employees-for-400-misconduct-cases-12-fired/

Cash Bail

Christin Cullen CEO                       Jacqueline Tasca,  JHSO 

The provincial government is proposing legislation requiring accused individuals or their sureties to provide a cash security deposit upfront, in the full amount ordered by the court. Under this proposed model, payment would be required before release, and deposits would be returned only if all bail conditions are met. This marks a significant shift from the current system, in which courts may order a “promise to pay”. In such cases, a surety or the defendant does not have to pay the specified amount unless the release terms are violated.
Under Canadian law, individuals are presumed innocent and should be released unless detention is necessary based on risk. With “cash bail” this determination changes to whether the accused or their surety is able to pay.

These proposed changes would deepen inequities within Ontario’s bail system. Requiring full cash deposits creates financial barriers that fall most heavily on people who already encounter systemic disadvantages. This includes many racialized individuals, particularly Black and Indigenous people, as well as people working to maintain stable income, housing, health, or substance use supports. When someone cannot meet a cash deposit requirement, they may be more likely to be detained before trial, which would reinforce existing inequities within the justice system. Increased use of pre-trial detention also increases the likelihood that accused persons become entrenched in the criminal justice system, as individuals lose housing, employment, income and support systems while in custody. These conditions may also increase the likelihood of engaging in survival-based offences. These challenges are compounded by systemic discrimination and over-policing, which already contribute to the over-incarceration of Black and Indigenous people in Ontario.

Decisions at the bail stage should be based on the grounds for detention: whether the accused poses a flight risk, a risk to public safety or if release would compromise confidence in the criminal justice system. Whether an accused is granted bail should not depend on their wealth or social supports. Rather, the province should strengthen and invest in Bail Verification and Supervision Programs, ensuring the courts have reliable release options that promote compliance, accountability and stability. These community-based programs have demonstrated success in ensuring court compliance while reducing unnecessary detention.

Lack of housing is often a barrier to appropriate release. The provincial government should invest in community-run bail beds that provide individuals with monitoring, shelter and wraparound supports to address root causes of alleged misconduct and promote compliance with conditions.

For more information go to:  johnhoward.on.ca/policy-positions/

United Way of North East Ontario

Delta Bingo and Gaming helps fund over 160 local organizations in Greater Sudbury.  We are excited to share the latest round of Charitable Gaming social media graphics with you, available in both English and French!  This creative aligns with the new Out-of-Home (OOH) campaign, which you’ll also see across Ontario on billboards, transit, DriveTest centres, Cineplex, and more. There is an an advertisement running at the corner of Lasalle Blvd and Notre Dame.

Champion of the Month

YOU !!!

This may be a stock photo yet it represents all of our community members that donate to the JHS, volunteer for our community through the JHS, deliver Christmas gift bags to the men and women at the Sudbury and North Bay Jails,  assist aith services we offer and the list goes on and on !!  Without your assistance we simply cannot offer the men and women we serve the assistance they need.

Thank you to our special group of supporters for your ongoing dedication to our community.  You are our Champions of the Month !

Welcome to JHS Sudbury

The John Howard Society believes in effective, just and humane responses to crime and its causes.  We are dedicated to creating genuinely safer communities by helping to foster a truly effective criminal justice system. The John Howard Society helps people reintegrate into society, thereby reducing alienation, crime and recidivism.

Our mission is resolute. We want to help to create a truly effective criminal justice system – one that serves us all, that confronts crime and its causes and that fosters safer communities.  In short, we help people turn away from a life of crime. Surely, that’s what we’d all like to see.

Practically speaking, we STOP Crime Now ! ^TM through the multitude of programs and services that we offer to the community.  You can help us to STOP Crime Now ! ^TM through your donation to the John Howard Society of Sudbury.  All funds raised are used to deliver our programs and services in the Sudbury and North Bay communities.   STOP Crime Now ! ^TM is a registered trademark of the John Howard Society of Sudbury.

We are proud to commemorate Prisoners Justice Day every year.  It is a day where we remember the violence within the walls of incarceration and the men and women who have died because of this violence while incarcerated.  In 2025 the commemoration will be on August 10 at 10:00 am on the grounds of the Sudbury Jail.  For more information please go to the Prisoners Justice Day page on our website.

(NEW!) The John Howard Society assists people with criminal records to apply for a record suspension, formerly known as a pardon.  It is a lengthy process and can take up to two years.  If you would like more information contact the John Howard Society as soon as possible.

Some of our funders include the following and we are truly appreciative of their support.  Given that the vast majority of Canadians claim to give to charities but just less than 25% of Canadians claim their charitable donations on their tax return, you may want to make sure you know the benefits!  Your donations are important !  Please remember us.

To easily calculate the tax savings for a donation of any amount, use https://www.canadahelps.org/taxtime/.

For information on how our programs and services can be accessed in French contact the John Howard Society of Sudbury at the references located on our contact page.  Those programs and services that are available in French are noted with an (F) in the title of each service or program.  The John Howard Society is an inclusive agency serving all people in our community.  We have posted the Pride progress Flag on our website as a symbol that everyone is welcome to enter our agency for service.

Vianet is a proud supporter of the John Howard Society and the great work that we do all across Ontario to provide effective, just, and humane responses to crime and its causes. Vianet supports and helps in creating safer communities and to STOP Crime Now!

Follow us on Instagram at johnhowardsudbury or #jhssudbury.

June is National Indigenous History Month.  For more information please go to our Events page.