April, 2026

Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month

Every April, Canadians observe Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month, a designation adopted by Parliament in 2015. It serves as a reminder that genocide is a real and ongoing issue in modern history — and that Canadians cannot view themselves as distant bystanders.

April 7 marks the anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, also often takes place in April. These dates ground remembrance in real events: organized mass murder, government involvement and the deliberate targeting of people because of their identity.

Canada has formally recognized several genocides, such as the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, the Holodomor and the genocide against the Tutsi. Recognizing these events is important — it shows we value historical truth. But it also makes us confront tough questions. In the 1930s and 1940s, Canada had some of the most restrictive refugee policies in the Western world and turned away Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis. Since then, we’ve seen that saying ‘never again’ doesn’t always lead to quick action.

In classrooms this month, teachers can talk about genocide not just as a tragedy, but as something that unfolds in stages. The 1948 UN Genocide Convention defines genocide with specific legal language, focusing on the intent to destroy a particular group. Students are often surprised by how carefully planned and organized these crimes against humanity are. They aren’t random acts of violence — they’re systematic and intentional.

For us, April is an opportunity to help people better understand history. Students learn how early warning signs — like discriminatory laws, propaganda and growing divisions — appear long before violence begins. Preventing genocide starts with seeing these patterns. That’s why this matters in schools: it’s where young people learn how democracies can be protected, or weakened, over time.  ¹

^{1.    C.Haag (FSWC Educator)  www.fswc.ca/education-newsletter/genocide-remembrance-condemnation-and-prevention-month} 

In The News

Yes, it’s true !  JHS Sudbury is 65 years old this year !!

We celebrate our 65th anniversary in 2026 and we are definitely not retiring !  We have new signage and a new logo.   Our staff and board are quite excited !

Congratulations Local 6500 !

Sudbury.com Staff   April 27

Local 6500 and the North East Ontario Area Council of Steelworkers (NEOAC) were presented with the National Partnership Builder Award.

In a news release, United Way said the award was presented to Eric Delparte, Local 6500 vice-president, in recognition “of the Steelworkers’ longstanding commitment to building stronger, more vibrant communities across Northeastern Ontario through their partnership with United Way Centraide North East Ontario/Nord-est de l’Ontario.”

Further, United Way said the North East Ontario Area Council of Steelworkers “exemplifies the spirit of the National Partnership Builder Award through its sustained commitment to collaboration, leadership, and community development.”

“The strength of our communities is built through partnerships like this one,” said Cory Roslyn, executive director of United Way Centraide North East Ontario/Nord-est de l’Ontario.“The leadership and commitment shown by United Steelworkers and NEOAC is truly remarkable.”

United Way said NEOAC members actively support community initiatives through United Way’s Days of Caring, volunteering with local agencies in Sudbury, Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie. Members of the Women of Steel, a female-led committee of Local 6500, were also highlighted for their community efforts, including the Period Promise campaign which raises awareness of and collects essential menstrual products for those who need them.

“As members of the United Steelworkers, we take pride in living and working in our communities, standing alongside partners and helping build a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” said Delparte, Local 6500 VP, in the news release. “It’s a great pleasure to work with United Way and making a difference.”

Northern Toll: The impact of the drug toxicity crisis in Northern Ontario corrections

Research finds the transition from custody to community is a dangerous period in the toxic drug crisis, with the risk of drug-related death more than 50 times higher in the first two weeks after release.     John Howard Society of Ontario report

Northern Ontario is experiencing some of the highest drug poisoning mortality rates in the province, driven by an increasingly toxic drug supply and persistent gaps in access to substance use disorder and mental health treatment and supportive housing. Drug poisoning is now a leading cause of accidental death in the province, and Northern communities have been hit especially hard with deaths more than double the provincial average.

Northern Toll, a new report from the John Howard Society of Ontario (JHSO) in partnership with the University of Toronto, finds that incarceration and the period immediately following release from custody are high-risk windows in the toxic drug crisis. People are over 50 times more likely to die from a drug-related cause in the first two weeks after release compared to the general population, and a coroner’s review found that 20% of drug toxicity deaths occurred within one week of release. Across Ontario, approximately 88 people die due to drug toxicity in the year following incarceration, representing one in ten adult drug toxicity deaths.

These risks do not occur in isolation. The report makes clear they are influenced by the conditions people are returning to, and by the gaps in the systems meant to support them.  Local experts, frontline social service workers, and people with lived experience in Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, and Sudbury described complex needs related to untreated mental health conditions, intergenerational trauma, poverty, and housing instability. These challenges are compounded by services that are stretched thin and disconnected. Correctional facilities are expected to respond to health and social issues they were never designed to address, while communities face limited supports that leave people at heightened risk, especially during reintegration.

The report also documents how criminalization continues to hit Indigenous communities the hardest. In Ontario, Indigenous people are incarcerated at more than six times the rate of white Ontarians, and in Thunder Bay, approximately 72% of incarcerated people are Indigenous.  These disparities continue after release. Indigenous people coming out of jail are nearly 30 times more likely to die from drug poisoning than Indigenous people who have never been incarcerated.

The report highlights key needs in Northern Ontario:

• Make release planning a safety intervention to ensure people leaving custody have a clear discharge plan and the necessary supports to remain safe, including transportation, identification, and direct connections to housing and healthcare services.
• Expand life-saving harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services to meet substance use needs before a crisis becomes fatal.
• Improve continuity of care by strengthening collaboration between health, social, and justice systems, ensuring people do not fall through the cracks before, during, or after incarceration.
• Invest in Indigenous-led organizations delivering culturally appropriate programs that address community needs and reduce systemic barriers.
• Minimize reliance on criminalization and custody for low-risk individuals, while ensuring access to in-reach services that protect both individual and public safety.

For the full report go to:  www.johnhoward.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/JHSO-Northern-Toll-FINAL.pdf

United Way of North East Ontario

Putting the “Human” Back in Human Services

Unlike search engines, 211 applies a human touch for personalized solutions. Their highly-trained and accredited Community Navigators know how to ask the right questions to get the full picture of a person’s needs. Navigators then provide referrals to services to connect them to the right supports. In addition, some partnerships include 211 registering individuals for services directly or providing a warm transfer to the program. 211 will also advocate on a contact’s behalf, at their request.

211 is available by phone for those looking to speak to a friendly voice or by text, online search, email or chat for those looking for convenience or who feel the stigma of asking for help. This makes our service available to all people of Ontario regardless of their level of digital understanding or ability to access the internet.  211 quickly and confidentially connects people to social services and community programs across Ontario.

The helpline is answered by real people 24/7. Service is available in 150+ languages. Text is also available 24/7. Live chat service is available Monday to Friday from 7am-9pm ET.  There is also a :

Men’s Counselling Link

It provides men with access to professional counselling, offering support for those experiencing stress, relationship conflict, harmful behaviours, or personal challenges. The service connects callers to trained counsellors through Family Service Ontario agencies, either virtually or in person.

Men’s Counselling Link also benefits from 211 Ontario’s wider network. When helpful, Navigators can connect men to other community supports, such as financial help, employment supports, housing resources, or family services. To ease stress and help stabilize day-to-day challenges.  Men’s Counselling Link is for men in Ontario who:

• Feel overwhelmed by stress, anger, or family pressures
• Want to improve their relationships or break harmful patterns
• Are concerned about conflict at home, or emotional control
• Are unsure where to turn but want to make a positive change

This service is designed to support men at any stage, whether they are seeking early help or facing escalating challenges.  When you dial 211 and ask for Men’s Counselling Link:

1. A 211 Navigator will listen and connect you to support.
2. You may be referred to a counselling session with a trained professional.
3. Counselling is offered as a single, full session. If needed, you may be guided to further resources or services.

Support is available by phone or, where possible, in person.

Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association

The Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association originally began as two separate organizations, The Sudbury Folk Arts Council and the Sudbury Regional Immigration Centre

Amalgamated in 1984 as the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association, they work toward building bridges between Newcomers and existing services, identifying problems and solving them and providing multicultural & cross cultural services to the communities.

As an umbrella organization of 30 delegate groups with a client population of over 30,000 citizens of Sudbury and managed by an elected board of directors consisting of 17 members elected from various ethnic & cultural groups, the center is committed to maintaining high standards of community service, volunteerism, protection of human rights & serving newcomers to be well adapted to contribute to Canadian society.

Thank you to this special group of staff and volunteers for your ongoing dedication to our community.  You are our Champion of the Month !

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.

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 2026 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.