OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 2, 2023 /CNW/ - The outstanding accomplishments of Canadian prosecutors were recognized by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Heads of Prosecutions Committee at an awards ceremony held in Yellowknife. The Award Program, instituted in 2006, honours professional excellence, exemplary service, and outstanding achievements.
The following prosecutors were recognized for their contributions to advancing and promoting the role of prosecutors within the Canadian criminal justice system:
The Commitment to Justice 2023 Award was awarded to Rekha Malaviya. She is the General Trial Counsel and Appellate Counsel at Manitoba Justice. This award was presented to her for her leadership and dedication to furthering the aims of reconciliation and the evolution of victims' rights in the criminal justice system.
The second recipient of this award is Justice Jill Witkin. She is a former Crown Counsel with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. This award was presented to her for her constant commitment to educating the public, law enforcement, Bar, and judiciary on avoiding myths and stereotypes about sexual violence and ensuring vulnerable victims are treated with dignity and respect in the court process.
The Outstanding Achievement in a Prosecution Award 2023 was awarded to François Godin. He is a Trial and Appellate Counsel with the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales du Québec. This award was presented to him in recognition of the extraordinary professionalism he demonstrated in leading the complex prosecutions in the R. v. Bissonnette and R. v. Girouard cases under sustained media attention.
The Courage and Perseverance Award was awarded to Clare Jennings and Patrick Weir. They are both Crown Counsel with British Columbia's Crown Prosecution Service. This award was presented to them in recognition of their steadfast commitment to bringing R. v. Berry's prosecution to a successful conclusion despite challenging circumstances while under continued media attention.
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award was awarded to Dayna Arron. She is a former Trial Prosecutor with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and is now Executive Director of the Ministry of the Attorney General's Justice Centres. This award was presented to her in recognition of her outstanding efforts in designing and operationalizing these Justice Centres in Ontario, thus contributing to rebuilding trust between vulnerable groups and the criminal justice system.
Backgrounder: National Prosecution Awards 2023
(Version française disponible)
SOURCE Public Prosecution Service Canada
Robert P. Doyle, Secretary, FPT Heads of Prosecutions Committee, 613-952-0267
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