Networker MMFC - University of New Brunswick · lished in the MMFC Networker about the ... tice system's response to inti-mate partner violence, with particular emphasis on civil

Networkercourt, prosecutions); and to develop regional,national and international forums for dissemina-tion of inter-jurisdictional analyses and pro-gram/policy outcomes.

Who are the players in the Canadianobservatory?The Director of the Observatory is Dr. CarmenGill, Director of the Muriel McQueen FergussonCentre for Family Violence Research at theUniversity of New Brunswick. At this time co-investigators involved in the Canadian observa-tory are: Ms. Rina Arseneault, Muriel McQueenFergusson Centre at UNB; Dr. Helene Berman,School of Nursing and Centre for Research andEducation on Violence against Women andChildren, University of Western Ontario; Dr.Dominique Damant, École de service social,Université de Montréal; Dr. Myrna Dawson,Department of Sociology and Anthropology,University of Guelph; Dr. Mary Hampton,Department of Psychology, Luther College,University of Regina; Dr. Joseph P. Hornick,Canadian Research Institute for Law and theFamily (CRILF); Dr. Margaret Jackson, FREDACentre, Simon Fraser University; Dr. Peter Jaffe,Faculty of Education and Centre for Research onViolence against Women & Children, Universityof Western Ontario; Dr. Holly Johnson,Department of Criminology at the University ofOttawa; Dr. Nicole Letourneau, AssociateProfessor at the Faculty of Nursing at UNB andCanada Research Chair in Healthy ChildDevelopment. Ms. Lucie Ogrodnik, FamilyViolence Program, Statistics Canada; Dr. GillesRondeau, École de service social, Université deMontréal; Dr. Leslie Tutty, Faculty of Social Workand RESOLVE-Alberta, University of Calgary; Dr.Jane Ursel, RESOLVE Manitoba, University ofManitoba. Collaborators are: Ms. Lise Bellefleur,Violence Prevention Initiatives at the Women’sIssues Branch, Government of New Brunswick;Ms. Elizabeth Moore, Charles Sturt University inAustralia; Dr. Angela Ragusa, Charles SturtUniversity in Australia; Dr. Liz Kelly, Child andWoman Abuse Studies Unit at the LondonMetropolitan University; Ms. Robyn Holder,Department of Justice & Community Safety inAustralia. Other international participants arealso joining the Canadian observatory.

Finally, Dr. Elizabeth Blaney, Research Associateat the MMFC has been designated as the coor-dinator of the Canadian observatory.

Exciting time for theMuriel McQueenFergusson Centre

Over the last two years, articles were pub-lished in the MMFC Networker about thepossibility of developing a national/inter-

national network that would focus on the justicesystem’s response to intimate partner violence.Today we can say that it is now a reality. TheMuriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for FamilyViolence Research at the University of NewBrunswick in Fredericton has been awarded $2.1 million dollars from the Social Sciences andHumanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)under the Strategic Knowledge Clusters pro-gram, to establish a network promoting andcoordinating multidisciplinary research fromacross Canada on intimate partner violence andthe justice system.

An initiative of this magnitude is unique inCanada and intends to be a national conduitbetween provinces and territories, in both officiallanguages. The Canadian observatory will enablethe Alliance of Canadian Research Centres onViolence, partner organizations, and family vio-lence researchers from across Canada, andabroad, to work together more effectively toconduct research and develop initiatives on thejustice system’s response to intimate partner vio-lence.

What is the Canadian observatory?The Canadian observatory is a national/interna-tional research network emphasizing continuedbilingual dialogue and in-depth research on the

justice system in allparts of the countryand on the impact ofits response to inti-mate partner violence.The Canadian observa-

tory intends to lay thegroundwork for standardizednational data sets on the jus-tice system's response to inti-mate partner violence, withparticular emphasis on civillegislation and specializedresponse units (e.g. police,

The Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence ResearchLe Centre Muriel McQueen Fergusson pour la recherche sur la violence familiale

NetworkerMMFC

Building the Canadian Observatory

Muriel McQueenFergusson Centre

Exciting time . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Message from the Director . . . . .2

News at the MMFC . . . . . . . .2

The Research CornerProjects of the MMFC . . . . . .3

Research CornerTeams of the MMFC . . . . . . . .5

Research CornerProjects Affiliated with MMFC .6

The Education Corner . . . . . .7

The Discussion Corner . . . . . .8

Research Day 2006of the MMFC . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Community Page . . . . . . . . . .9

Foundation News . . . . . . .11

The Foundation holdsAnnual General Meeting . . . .11

New Brunswick SilentWitness Project . . . . . . . . . .11

Fund-raising Events . . . . . . .12

MMFF High School Chapters Update . . . . . . . . .13

Muriel McQueen FergussonFoundation Award . . . . . . . .13

MMFF Grants Program . . . . .14

Upcoming events . . . . . . . . .15

2 www.unb.ca/arts/CFVR | 506-453-3595 | 678 Windsor Street, Fredericton, NB | E3B 5A3

Message from the Director

It is always exciting to talk about what is happening atthe Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre. At the sametime, it is difficult to celebrate when some communities

in New Brunswick are struggling with women who werekilled by their partner/ex-partner in 2007.

The year 2007 began in deep sadness for people at theMMFC as we heard of the death of a woman from theAcadian peninsula who was killed by her ex-partner inJanuary. Later on, in July 2007, another woman wasmurdered by her common-law partner. This news is tellingus, once again, that we are failing in our work and thatwe have not yet found the best ways to protect and savepeople’s lives. Femicide is affecting us all in many ways. Awoman’s death has an impact on her children, theextended family members, the community and the entiresociety.

Looking back at what happened at the Muriel McQueenFergusson Centre this year is definitely tinted by thereality in our communities. We cannot change the past,but we have a responsibility to transform the present andto take action for the future of our communities. This isthe challenge everyone at the MMFC is working towards.

This year the MMFC is proud to celebrate partnershipsestablished with various communities in Atlantic Canadaaround diverse projects. For instance, the MMFC alongwith the Fredericton Police Force, has successfullydeveloped and launched a training program for policeofficers to support an effective response to intimatepartner violence. The MMFC also worked closely with theAcadian and francophone women communities from allAtlantic Provinces to inform and mobilize women aroundthe issue of socioeconomic equity.

The MMFC will focus more intently in coming years onthe justice system response to intimate partner violence.After two years of intensive work with experts fromacross Canada, the Canadian observatory has beensuccessfully funded by the Social Sciences and HumanitiesResearch Council for the next seven years. This meansthat national and international research projects will takeplace under the leadership of the MMFC. In order tocoordinate the observatory work, we are pleased that Dr.Elizabeth Blaney has accepted a two-year ResearchAssociate position at the MMFC.

It is also a pleasure to mention that the MMFC will beholding its third Research Day in November 2007. It is arendez-vous for everyone interested in intervention andresearch on family violence issues. I invite you to visit theMMCF webpage for more information. You will alsonotice on the MMFC webpage the new policy documentthat is now guiding all research conducted under theMMFC.

If you wish to know more about the activities and projectsmentioned in this newsletter, please do not hesitate tocall me (506 452-6367) or to visit our valuable website athttp://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/

Carmen Gill, Fall 2007

News at the MMFC

Mark your calendars - Research Day 2007 will beheld on November 2, 2007 at the Wu Centre,UNB Campus. The theme this year - RESEARCH

DAY 2007: Resistance and resilience: Helpingchildren and youth survive in the face of familyviolence.

A general public event will be held on November 1, 2007.Dr. Bruce D. Perry from the ChildTrauma Academy willgive a public address. Dr. Perry is the Senior Fellow of theChildTrauma Academy, a Houston-based organizationdedicated to research and education on childmaltreatment. He is an internationally-recognizedauthority on children in crisis. Over the last fifteen years,Dr. Perry has been an active teacher, clinician andresearcher in children’s mental health and theneurosciences, holding a variety of academic positions.This free event will also be at the Wu Centre and it isopen to the general public.

La Rencontre 2007 aura lieu le 2 novembre 2007 auCentre de conférence Wu sur le campus de UNBFredericton. Le thème de la Rencontre 2007 est «Résistance et résilience : aider les enfants et lesadolescents à survivre à la violence familiale ».

The MMFC has just developed a new pamphlet. Thanksare extended to the creativity of Michelle Bryar of YakDesign. You can check it out on our website athttp://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/.

Le nouveau dépliant du CMMF est maintenant disponibleen français sur notre page webhttp://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/.

The MMFC is proud of the partnership they have hadwith the Fredericton Police Force in the last year. Out ofthis partnership we are happy to announce the launch ofour Train-the-Trainer Training Program for police forces inNew Brunswick. If interested or you would like moreinformation, do not hesitate to contact us. (moreinformation on this project on page 7) – Plusd’informations disponibles en français concernant leprogramme de formation sur notre page web.

Mark your calendars, the MMFC’s Annual GeneralMeeting will be held on September 24, 2007 at 3pm.Dr. William Patrick will be the keynote speaker. All arewelcome to attend.

L’assemblée générale annuelle du CMMF aura lieu le 24septembre 2007 à 15h00. M. William Patrick, Ph.D. serale conférencier invitée. Tous sont invité.

Thank you to Pete Stafford from Cambridge Pen & Designfor helping the MMFC and the MMFF to produce thisnewsletter.

3MMFC Networker | Issue #18 | Fall 2007

The Research Corner - Projectsof the MMFC

New Brunswick Dating Violence PreventionTeam recommends multifacetedcomprehensive approach to deterrenceThe following individuals contributed to this research: LiseBellefleur, E. Sandra Byers, C. Ann Cameron, Anna Campbell,Christien Demoré, Norma Dubé, Marie Dumont, Nicole Duperé,Jeanne Duquette, Jim Dysart, Lyndsay Foster, Wendy Fraser,Robert Gerard, Kerri Gibson, Shannon Glenn, Fran Harris, MargieLayden-Oreto, Mary Ann MacNeil, Marlien McKay, StaceyMcKay, Brad McNeil, Andrea Miller, Melissa St. Pierre, KelleyRobinson, John Tingley, Joanne Williams.

The Provincial Strategy Team for Dating ViolencePrevention was coordinated by Ann Cameron andSandra Byers of UNB, but benefited from the

contributions of a large number of government,community and student researchers. The goal of the Teamwas to make recommendations for a sustainablecomprehensive provincial strategy for youth datingviolence prevention in the province of New Brunswick.These recommendations were to be based on anempirical evaluation of dating violence preventionprograms conducted with high school students in NewBrunswick during the autumn of 2005 by fivecommunity-based organizations: Le Centre de préventionde la violence familiale de Kent (CPVFK), Coalition AgainstAbuse in Relationships/Coalition contre l’abus dans lesrelations (CAAR), Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre(FSACC), and Making Waves/Vague par vague, Inc.(MW/Vpv). The evaluation was designed to be at arm’slength from, yet informed by, the programs, systematic,scientifically rigorous, longitudinal, and to assess diverseareas.

Prior to conducting the evaluation, the co-coordinators:(1) established a Provincial Strategy Team for DatingViolence Prevention and a Dating Violence PreventionConsultative Committee to guide the research; (2)articulated a set of goals and objectives for datingviolence prevention; (3) developed an evaluationframework for the evaluation; (4) reviewed learningoutcomes related to dating violence in the French andEnglish curricula, and (5) created and validated themeasurement instruments to be used in the evaluation. Inorder to determine changes resulting from involvement inthe dating violence prevention programs, we administeredquestionnaires assessing the goals and objectives of theprograms. Students receiving each of the programs, aswell as students in five comparison schools not receivingany outside programming, completed the questionnairesimmediately prior to the program, immediately followingimplementation of the program, and four monthsfollowing implementation of the program. These datawere used to evaluate changes in students’ knowledge,attitudes, and behaviour due to the curriculum and dueto each of the programs.

Students in all programs and in the comparison schoolsshowed increases in knowledge. In general, with the

exception of the somewhat select group of students whoattended MW/Vpv, participation in these programsproduced few changes in attitudes and behaviours. Wealso found that, compared to boys, girls were moreknowledgeable, were somewhat less accepting of datingviolence, and evidenced more positive behaviouralintentions for dealing with dating violence. Review of theNew Brunswick curricula demonstrated that it addressesmany of the knowledge goals identified as important todating violence prevention. However, there were somekey goals that are not identified as learning outcomes inthe current curricula. The report contains eightrecommendations based on these results. You can viewthe recommendations or the entire report athttp://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/research.php.

Sandra Byers, Project Co-coordinator, UNB

Evaluation of the Provincial Court - DomesticViolence (Moncton)

As part of the provincial violence prevention action plan(A Better World for Women: Moving Forward 2005-2010), the Province of New Brunswick announced in2004 that it would implement a specialized court fordomestic violence cases; and in 2006 the MurielMcQueen Fergusson Centre joined the governmentsteering committee responsible for the court’s planningand design. Since then, the MMFC has played a key roleby developing the evaluation framework for the court.We are now pleased to be leading the evaluation ofAtlantic Canada’s first provincial court specializing indomestic violence cases (Provincial Court – DomesticViolence [Moncton]), which began processing cases in thespring of 2007.

The aim of the court is to establish a coordinatedresponse to domestic violence; one in which legal, lawenforcement, treatment, victim service, probation andcorrections professionals work together to provideeffective interventions and ensure victims are supportedand that the violent behaviour of offenders is addressed.The court is presided over by Judge Dugas-Horseman andengages a specialized prosecutor, probations officer, andvictim service coordinator. The pilot project also involvesthe use of specialized risk assessment, intervention, andvictim safety plan programs, which are key elements inensuring victim safety and a coordinated justice systemresponse to domestic violence.

A three-year evaluation of the court’s implementation isbeing conducted by the MMFC. The purpose of thisevaluation is to describe how the court is implemented,and to assess the functions and processes of the court.In order to discern the impact that a specialized approachhas on domestic violence case-processing (for victims,offenders, families, and justice system professionals), wehave taken a comparative approach. Domestic violencedata is being gathered from two court sites: the ProvincialCourt – Domestic Violence (Moncton), and theFredericton provincial court, which is engaged in aconventional court approach.


The evaluation methodology consists of three components,and incorporates both qualitative and quantitativeelements. The first component involves conductingcomparative court observations of domestic violence casesat the specialized court site and in a non-specialized courtsite. Second, the research team will conduct individualinterviews with key informants involved with the court.Finally, the quantitative component will track all casesprocessed through the Provincial Court – DomesticViolence (Moncton), over the period of 18 months, as wellas comparatively tracking domestic violence cases over thesame period in a non-specialized court site (Fredericton).

For more information on the MMFC’s role in this project,please contact: Heather McTiernan ([email protected]), orDr. Carmen Gill ([email protected]).

Heather McTierman, project coordinator

Intersecting Sites of Violence in the Lives ofGirls

Intersecting Sites of Violence in the Lives of Girls is a three-phase participatory-action research initiative. Theoverarching purpose of this work is to improve the lives ofgirls and young women. Intersectionality is important tothis project and we have endeavoured to include youngwomen with a range of life experiences. Chillax are focusgroup discussions being held with girls by girls. To date, allseven sites across the province have held their first andsecond Chillax sessions. This work has been helpedenormously by the support of the adult mentors at each ofthe seven sites. They provided tremendous encouragementto the peer facilitators and have worked with themthroughout the project. The research team, including theyoung women researchers from each site, will meet in thefall to discuss analysis of the qualitative information and toconsider how to inform policy makers about violence ingirls' lives.

As one of the young woman trained as a “Chillax” groupfacilitator explained:

‘Intersecting Sites of Violence in the Lives of Girls’research project has exposed me to women’s and girls’issues and needs around Canada. It has given me theopportunity to try to make a difference. This project hasallowed me to meet many different individuals from

across our country, hear their stories, and share ideason where to go from here. It has been throughhearing girls’ concerns and sharing both my ownfeelings, and the feelings of those who live in my area,that I have grown as an individual. I have becomemore educated, and I have learned and experiencedmore than I ever would have thought possible when Iwas approached to join the research team about fouryears ago.

In this project, I was able to interact with girls in myrural area though our “Chillax” discussion. I alsobecame a student researcher developing my leadershipskills, while having fun. I met incredible women andgirls, and was privileged to share in one-of-a-kinddiscussions with girls in high school who were justwaiting for their voices to be heard.

As a student mentor, I was trained as a facilitator, andthen interacted with young, female participants. In our“Chillax” sessions, I was there to hear their thoughts,views, and experiences of violence. This was theultimate ‘girl talk’. Lots of snacks and pizza were therefor girls to munch on while we discussed these topicswith one another. It has been through these girls andothers across Canada that I have been able to fully anddeeply understand the state of women’s issues in ourcountry. Each and every single young womanexperiences some sort of violence in her life and theyeach have a story to tell. I have been privileged to bepart of this process. From here, I hope and pray thatthis valuable research and insight into girls’ lives willonly lead to change, and make this country a betterplace for everyone.

Amanda Densmore, youth researcher

Evaluation of the New Brunswick Violenceand the Workplace Toolkit

The MMFC with the members of theNew Brunswick Family Violence and theWorkplace Committee received fundingfrom the Crime Prevention StrategyProgram to evaluate the Family Violence –It’s Your Business: A Workplace Toolkit.This will be qualitative research. The data

will help determine the scope and nature of theeffectiveness of the Toolkit. More specifically, we hope to:

• assess whether the workplaces have become safer andmore respectful environments as the result of using theToolkit;

• evaluate whether the Toolkit expanded the awarenessand preparedness of employers and employees to dealwith victims of family violence;

• evaluate the response of employees, managers,employers and union members in the workplace, andservice providers working in the area of family violence,to the workplace violence prevention initiativesproposed in the Toolkit;

Meeting with young girls in Montreal


• determine the kinds of policies, practices andprograms that were implemented as a result of usingthe Toolkit;

• identify the processes that were used to successfullyintroduce elements of the Toolkit and set these out as“best practices” that can be shared with otherbusinesses interested in using the Toolkit.

To help with the coordination of the research, thecommittee hired Darcy Elliot as research assistant andMelanie Gallant to assist with the francophoneinterviews.

Another objective of this project is to undertake acomprehensive approach to implementing family violenceinformation and education strategies within theworkplace. In order to achieve this goal, MarianHernandez was hired as the project coordinator. We alsomade revisions and a reprinting of the Toolkit.

For more information about this evaluative study, contactRina Arseneault, [email protected] or Deborah Doherty,[email protected]

For further information on the Toolkit or if you would liketo receive a copy of these materials please visit ourwebsite www.toolkitnb.ca

Marian Hernandez, project coordinator & Darcy Elliot,research assistant.

Research Corner –Research Teams ofthe MMFC

Religion and Violence e-Learning (RAVE)Project: Web-based action to reduce abuse

For more than 15 years, Nancy Nason-Clark has beenexamining the story of what happens when religiouspeople look to their faith communities for help in the

aftermath of violence in the family context. For the pastfive years Lanette Ruff and Barbara Fisher-Townsend havebeen working as part of Nancy’s Religion and ViolenceTeam at the MMFC, and for the past year they haveworked full-time on the RAVE project.

Religion is an integral part of the context of many, indeedmost, people’s lives. It is important then to emphasizethat just as domestic violence knows no boundaries ofclass or color, it also has no boundaries related toreligious persuasion. Yet many religious groups have beenslow to acknowledge the prevalence of violence in theirmidst, despite the recognition by psychologist Weaver(1993: 402) that “domestic violence is probably thenumber one pastoral mental health emergency.”1

Many have claimed that there are specific religiouscontours both to the abuse that is suffered and to thehealing journey. Yet, amongst professionals in the seculartherapeutic community, there is general agreement thatmany do not like to work with clients who are particularlyreligious. In a similar vein, there are religious professionals

who are slow to refer their parishioners who have beenabused to outside sources of help, believing that a secularshelter is an unsafe place to claim faith. There can besuspicion on both sides, and sometimes the voices of thecaregivers drown out the voices of the victims. Forcollaborative ventures between the steeple and theshelter to be successful, personnel operating from asecular or sacred paradigm must be willing to see that thecondemnation of domestic violence requires both thelanguage of contemporary culture and the language ofthe spirit.

The RAVE initiative combines research, training andadvocacy in new and innovative ways to build bridges toeffect change – between churches and their leaders andcommunity organizations working to eliminate familyviolence.

The project is committed to using the most current web-based technologies to allow information access from theprivacy of one’s office or home. Currently we offerresources to faith leaders and communities dealing withissues of domestic violence, provide training for clergymembers related to best practices, and provide a forumfor a variety of perspectives to be offered, both sacredand secular, on the numerous issues and questions thatarise around family violence. An important part of our siteis the “Help Now” section that offers easy, convenientaccess to contact information for all transition shelters inNorth America.

In October 2007 the RAVE site will be highlighted in anAmerican television documentary series on religion andabuse produced by Day of Discovery. We would bedelighted to have feedback on the site(www.theraveproject.org) from anyone interested.

Nancy Nason-Clark, coordinator

1. Andrew Weaver, "Psychological Trauma: What ClergyNeed to Know," Pastoral Psychology 41(1993): 385-408.

Organizational Strategies for Bullying Reduction

The purpose of this study is to help organizations findmore effective ways to prevent and remediate workplacebullying and to reduce negative effects experienced byemployees and employers. The Team received fundingfrom the Crime Prevention Partnership Program, NationalStrategy on Community Safety and Crime Prevention inJune 2006 and have completed the first two phases ofthe study. The first phase involved conducting 24 keyinformant interviews with people who had responsibilityfor addressing workplace bullying within theirorganizations. These interviewees represented unions andpublic, private, and not-for-profit sector organizations ofvarious sizes. After analyzing these interviews, a reportwas sent to the interviewees and the analysis was used asthe basis for the second phase of the study that tookplace during the winter of 2007. This involved holding aseries of facilitated learning circles with a group of thosekey informants interested in exploring in more depthsome of the more persistent and challenging issuesinvolved in addressing workplace bullying and developing


strategies to address them. The Team is currentlyanalyzing the data from that phase, preparing a report toparticipants, and identifying areas in which furtherelaboration may be needed. The next step will be todevelop practical tools that will assist organizations inmore effective workplace bullying prevention,intervention, and post intervention.

Research conducted by the Workplace Violence andAbuse Team of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre onFamily Violence Research, co-chaired by Judith MacIntoshand Marilyn Noble.

Judith MacIntosh and Marilyn Noble, research teamco-coordinators

Research Corner – ResearchProjects Affiliated with MMFC

UNB Researchers Study NB’s CharitableHealth & Welfare Sector

Relative to their vital contribution to our population’swell-being, little is known about charitableorganizations in the province of New Brunswick -

their activities and challenges, the capacity of the sector,and its role in the economy, for example. In 2004, theSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council providedfunding for a team of social scientists, led by Drs CarmenGill and Luc Thériault of the University of New Brunswick,to conduct a three-year study of the province’s charitablehuman service sector.

The study, which draws data from nearly 300organizations, is the first in-depth survey of its kind inNew Brunswick, and adds to the growing research effortto better understand the contribution of human servicesby what is now commonly referred to as the “thirdsector.” The research focus is specifically on charitablehuman service organizations, one of the fastest growingservice providers in the non-profit sector. Therefore,organizations serving women, children, and families wereamong the respondents to the survey. Some examplesinclude women’s shelters, mothering supportorganizations, and organizations providing violenceprevention outreach programs.

The research focus of the New Brunswick-based surveyhas been on: the types of activities and servicesorganizations are providing, their governance structures,accountability practices, spatial distribution, financialresources, and gender. Early analysis of results hasprovided insight into the sector and its challenges. Forexample, we know that the province’s organizations tendto be small (generally less than 10 staff), and that when itcomes to human resources, the sector is overwhelminglyfemale (on average, 80% of organizations’ workforce arewomen). The study has also provided data to support thecommon sentiment that many organizations in the sectorare in financial crisis (financial resources were the primarychallenge and limitation in providing services for themajority of organizations). Results also point to some

potential geographical challenges in terms of serviceaccess and delivery in a province where roughly half ofthe population resides in a rural area.

The full results of the study will be released in the fall of2007. The hope is that this information, coupled with thefindings of the Premier’s Community Nonprofit TaskForce, will contribute to more informed decision-makingand dialogue on the future of service provision bycharitable organizations in New Brunswick.

For more information on this project, please contact theproject coordinator, Heather McTiernan([email protected]), or Dr. Luc Thériault ([email protected]).

Heather McTiernan, project coordinator

Asking for Directions

MVART, the Male Violence Action Research Team, beganwith the idea of “asking for directions” in late 2006.Concerned with research that will inform and be a basisfor community action to eliminate violence againstwomen, members and interested parties of this projecthave worked in affiliation with the Muriel McQueenFergusson Centre for Family Violence Research,MensWork, and Aboriginal consultants to hold threepublic consultations (Francophone, Anglophone andAboriginal) in the province of New Brunswick betweenApril 2007 and June 2007 with the help of some fundingfrom the University Research Fund (UNB), the Women’sIssues Branch Community Action Fund, the SummerEmployment and Experience Development (SEED)program, and the Canada Summer Jobs program. Thepurpose of these sessions was to generate discussion andrelevant research questions that academic members of theteam will pursue in an upcoming Social Sciences andHumanities Research Council (SSHRC) application. Theteam sought to identify from those who attended themeetings: “What information is needed to gather in orderto have a better understanding of the role men need toplay in reducing, and ultimately eliminating, violenceagainst women?”, “What works and what doesn’t workwithin the present situation with respect to the role menneed to play in reducing, and ultimately eliminating,violence against women?”, and “What are the issues thatshould be a top priority to be addressed in a researchagenda on the role men need to play in eliminatingviolence against women?”. Feedback came from both theprofessional community and the everyday concerned


citizen. An inclusive report is to be published on theresults of the consultations in the fall of 2007 and will beavailable to view both in print and on the MMFC website.

The co-leaders of MVART are Dr. Luc Thériault (Sociology,UNB) and Dr. William Patrick. Active members of theteam include Rina Arseneault of the MMFC, BobStranach, Miguel LeBlanc and Tim Gallagher ofMensWork. Emma Cunningham is the ProjectCoordinator for the group and Tricia Lofstrom is theResearch Assistant. A great deal of support has beenprovided by Barb Martin and Reni Han of Han MartinAssociates for their willingness to work with the team onbehalf of the Aboriginal community. Interested partiesinclude Lorraine Whalley (Fredericton Sexual Assault CrisisCentre), Jeff Landine (Counselling Services, UNB) and Dr.Nicole Letourneau (Nursing, UNB) as well as a variety ofother organizations and individuals.

MVART is extremely happy to be involved in a projectwith the MMFC and looks forward to rewardingoutcomes from this important research.

Emma Cunningham, project coordinator

The Education Corner

L’équité socio-économique et les femmesacadiennes et francophones des provincesatlantiques

Comité d’analyse : Louise d’Entremont (Fédération desfemmes acadiennes de la N-É.), Marie-Claude Rioux(Femmes Action, N.-É.), Colette Arsenault (Association desfemmes acadiennes et francophones de l’Î.P.É), JoséeGallant (stagiaire FÉA, Î.P.É.), Murielle Malouin (GroupeFemmes francophones de l’ouest du Labrador), FrancineCouture (Terre-Neuve), Rina Arseneault (présidente deFÉA, N-.B), Nancy Benoit (coordinatrice du projet).

Le volet IV « Se faire entendre » de Femme ÉquitéAtlantique est en cours depuis octobre 2006 et doitse terminer en septembre 2007. Le volet IV vise à

consolider les activités amorcées et à favoriser une priseen charge collective, par les femmes, des dossiers liés à laproblématique de l’absence d’équité socio-économiquede leur milieu.

Deux objectifs sont poursuivis afin de réaliser ce volet :

Objectif 1 : Accroître la capacité des femmes et de leursallié(e)s d’agir de façon concertée dans le but d’apporterles changements nécessaires relatifs à la problématique del’absence d’équité socio-économique.

Objectif 2 : Accroître la crédibilité de Femmes ÉquitéAtlantique, des groupes de femmes et de leurspartenaires qui oeuvrent pour l’obtention de l’équitésocio-économique.

Pour atteindre ces objectifs, une analyse inclusive desPlans de développement global des communautésacadiennes et francophones des quatre provincesatlantiques sera réalisée.

Si vous voulez plus d’information sur le comité ou letravail qu’il effectue vous pouvez contacter Mme RinaArseneault, (506) 458-7137 ou FÉ[email protected]

Understanding the Impact of Intimate PartnerViolence: Helping Police Officers to BetterIntervene

Since 2006 the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre(MMFC) and the Fredericton Police Force have worked inpartnership to develop “Understanding the Impact ofIntimate Partner Violence: Helping Police Officers to BetterIntervene” – a training program to support those who arein a position to train police officers about the dynamics ofand effective response to intimate partner violence. Theproject was funded by the National Crime PreventionStrategy and has also received funding from the Women’sIssues Branch, Executive Council. Fern Paul, graduatestudent, was the project coordinator until January, 2007.Rina Arseneault acted as liaison between MMFC,Fredericton Police Force, and a community-widerepresentative Advisory Committee. Elizabeth Blaneysupervised the content of the training.

Intervening in situations of intimate partner violence is oneof the most difficult aspects of policing and police officersare often the first members of the law enforcement systemto be encountered by victims. Successful interventions relyon effective practices. This training provides police officerswith a better understanding of the dynamics of intimatepartner violence, such as what it is, why it occurs, theprocess of ending abuse, and the impact that it has on thelives of individuals (victims, abusers, and children). Itexamines police officers’ intervention from receiving a 911call, to charging and assessing the risk of lethal violence, toreport writing. It also focuses on how police officers areimpacted by their interventions. The training manual isorganized in a train-the-trainer design. Organizing thetraining in this format means that once police officers havetaken the training, they will have the tools to train othersin their workplace. In the manual police officers findtraining support materials and a workshop guide, all ofwhich have been created to help them to develop anddeliver workshops to their peers.

The words of Fredericton Police Force’s Deputy Chief,Leanne Fitch, echo the importance of this training. Shestated:


"Police response to situations of intimate partnerviolence requires a unique set of skills andcompetencies in order for the police to be successful intheir intervention. Calls of this nature have thepotential to be damaging on many levels, volatile, andin some cases fatal for the victim, as well as theresponding officers. The Muriel McQueen FergussonCenter for Family Violence Research, in partnershipwith the Fredericton Police Force, has developed thisimportant training to provide police officers with thetools and the knowledge to better intervene in a safe,effective and compassionate way. This training is fullyendorsed by our organization and we hope that otheragencies across the country will adopt this as a modeltraining guide for their police and civilian employees."

In November, 2006 four police officers of the FrederictonPolice Force received the train-the-trainer training. Thesetrainers are: Detective Corporal Michael Berry, DetectiveMelissa Collins, Corporal Michael Hudson, and ConstableAndrea Joyce. In December, 2006, these trainerssuccessfully piloted the training in a two-day event,composed of 14 officers of the Fredericton Police Force,two members of UNB Security, and two Military Policefrom CFB Gagetown. In June 2007 the training packagewas launched to the broader community. Training cannow be delivered in English or French. For moreinformation on the training program, contact the MurielMcQueen Fergusson Centre, at 453-3595 ([email protected]).

Elizabeth Blaney, research associate

The Discussion Corner

Identifying, Assessing and Treating MalePerpetrators and Abused Women

On October 25 2006, Dr. Leslie Tutty, AcademicCoordinator of RESOLVE-Alberta and professor inthe Faculty of Social Work at the University of

Calgary, gave a lecture at the MMFC as part of the 2006Discussion Series. Dr. Tutty discussed approaches toresearch, treatment, and program evaluations in regardsto “Identifying, Assessing and Treating MalePerpetrators and Abused Women”. Dr. Tutty stressedthe need for clinical models on how to identify individualswho are victims of violence and how to identify the needfor further assessments that include current and historicalcontexts.

Dr. Tutty interacted with the audience and offered clinicalinformation. As always, Dr. Tutty shared her passion andknowledge for the issue. Her dynamic presentation wasappreciated by a diverse group of intervenors, academicsand students. It was timely for the MMFC to have such apresentation, as the provincial government is developingthe Specialized Domestic Violence Court in NewBrunswick. Dr. Tutty offered an opportunity to reflect onour own practices.

Discussion Focused on How Men Can ReduceViolence Against WomenThere is a growing awareness that men can play asignificant role in ending violence against women. Tofurther explore this issue, the MMFC and the NewBrunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women heldan informal discussion on how men can participate inreducing violence against women.

Led by Bernard Richard, New Brunswick ombudsman,lawyer, and former social worker, the event took place onWednesday, Dec. 6 at the Wilmot United Church inFredericton.

Men's anti-violence programs are formed on theunderstanding that violence against women hurts societyand that men can have an important influence onreducing violence by changing their own attitudes andbehavior and by intervening to prevent other men'sviolence. The discussion looked at these and other issues.

Colleen MacQuarrie & Lori Weeks, UPEI.

Research Day 2006 of theMMFC

Last year’s Research Day was entitled “LifespanPerspectives on Woman Abuse: Preventing Abuseand Rebuilding Lives”. The event was a great success.

A total of 75 participants took part in the Research Day,held on November 3, 2006 at the Rodd CharlottetownHotel. Dr. Joan Harbison from the School of Social Workat Dalhousie University delivered the keynote addressentitled: How do we know what older women want?Understanding responses to violence, mistreatment andneglect. Her presentation set the tone for an informativeand diverse day of sharing between practitioners,academics and students. Thank you to ColleenMacQuarrie and Lori Weeks from UPEI for organizing andhosting the 2006 Research Day. Their commitmenttowards the research Day has generated enthusiasm andinterest to conduct research on family violence issues.


Community PageLa violence conjugale, comment ladémystifier?

En janvier 2007, la population de la Péninsuleacadienne et les gens d’ailleurs dans la province sontinterpellés par un drame de violence conjugale : une

femme est décédée. On en parle, on se questionne, onose certains commentaires, on essaie de comprendre lesraisons d’un geste si grave, si inexplicable. Certains irontjusqu’à tenter de trouver des raisons ou des excuses àcette violence. On entendra des commentaires réfléchisdans lesquels on dénoncera cette violence.Malheureusement, on entendra aussi des commentairesplutôt gratuits qui nous laisseront croire à une certainebanalisation de la violence conjugale. Pourtant, depuis1990, plus de 26 femmes ont perdu leur vie suite à unacte de violence conjugale, au Nouveau-Brunswick.

C’est quoi la violence conjugale? À tous les jours, à toutesles heures, à toutes les minutes, une femme est victimede violence dans notre région, dans notre communautéou dans notre province. La violence conjugale est unexercice abusif de pouvoir par lequel le conjoint cherche àcontrôler sa conjointe en l’obligeant à adopter descomportements conformes à ses propres désirs. Il y adifférentes formes de violence : physique, psychologique,verbale, spirituelle, sexuelle et économique. La personneviolente se donne le droit de contrôler et d’exercer unpouvoir sur l’autre personne par ses gestes ou par sesparoles. La personne violente va souvent utiliserl’intimidation, les critiques et les menaces pour s’assurerdu contrôle sur sa victime. La violence conjugale estplutôt une prise de contrôle qu’une perte de contrôle.Chez la femme, la peur, l’isolement, la perte d’estime desoi, le manque de moyens financiers ou de ressourcesexternes sont souvent des obstacles considérables pourelle à se sortir de cette relation abusive. Les victimes deviolence conjugale se trouvent dans toutes les classessocio-économiques et dans toutes les cultures, et peuimporte le sexe, la violence est inacceptable.

Dans la plupart des régions de la province, des servicesexistent pour les femmes et les enfants victimes deviolence conjugale et familiale ainsi que pour les hommesviolents. En 2006, dans la Péninsule acadienne, lesServices à la famille de la Péninsule et son programmeCHOIX a donné un service de thérapie à 34 hommesviolents, à 49 femmes victimes de violence et à 27enfants exposés à cette violence. L’Accueil Sainte-Famille,maison d’hébergement pour femmes victimes de violenceconjugale, a accueilli plus de 45 femmes et 40 enfantsexposés à cette violence.

Aux proches de Simone Boudreau et à toutes les famillesqui ont perdu un être cher dans un contexte de violenceconjugale, nos pensées sont avec vous.

L’équipe d’intervenants du programme en violenceconjugale de Services à la famille de la Péninsule,organisme membre de la Table de Concertation pour

contrer la violence conjugale et familiale dans la Péninsuleacadienne.

Martine Haché, membre de l’équipe d’intervenants,programme en violence conjugale de Services à la Famillede la Péninsule.

Updates from the Women’s Issues Branch2007

The Women’s Issues Branch, under the umbrella of theviolence prevention initiatives, has been busy workingwith their community and government partners toimplement several action items delineated under the “ABetter World for Women – Moving Forward 2005-2010”action plan. The following is a sample of some of thework completed to date.

Domestic Violence Court Moncton was selected as the site for implementation of aspecialized court dealing specifically with domesticviolence cases. The court commenced operations on April12, 2007.

Judge Anne Dugas-Horsman is the presiding judge

Outreach ServicesSpring 2007 saw five New Brunswick communities/regions (Kent County, Bathurst, Fredericton, Shediac,Miramichi) implement or expand outreach services forvictims of domestic violence. Outreach workers willprovide a range of services not limited to providinginformation, safety planning, referrals to otheragencies/services, counseling, accompaniment of victimsto appointments, etc.

Programs for Child Witnesses of Woman AbuseSpring 2007 also saw five communities/regions (SaintJohn, Acadian Peninsula, Woodstock, Charlotte County,Moncton) receive funding to implement groupintervention programs for child witnesses of womanabuse and their mothers. The program is designed tooperate concurrent groups for children and their mothers.Training on the program was delivered in January 2007 toover 80 front-line community partners. Communities willbegin delivering groups in the fall.

Expansion of Sexual Assault ServicesThe Women’s Issues Branch, in partnership with theFredericton Sexual Assault Centre and communities acrossthe province, is building a strong voice for sexual assaultprevention and enhancement of sexual assault services.Some of the current and upcoming activities of thisexciting initiative are:

• a training forum in Fredericton on November 13,14 forthose interested in enhancing sexual assault services intheir community and networking with othercommunities;

• a provincial scan on sexual assault to be used toenhance community capacity to offer sexual assaultservices and programs; and, present a larger picture ofsexual assault in New Brunswick.

Programmes à l’intention des enfants témoins deviolence à l’égard des femmesAu printemps 2007, cinq localités ou régions (Saint John,la Péninsule acadienne, Woodstock, le comté deCharlotte et Moncton) ont reçu des fonds pour mettre en?uvre un programme d’intervention collective à l’intentiondes enfants témoins de violence à l’égard des femmes etde leur mère. Ce programme prévoit la formation d’ungroupe pour les enfants et d’un groupe pour leur mèrequi se réunissent simultanément. Une formation sur leprogramme a été offerte en janvier 2007 à plus de 80intervenants de première ligne étant des partenairescommunautaires. Les groupes commenceront à se réunirà l’automne.

Élargissement des services aux victimes d’agressionsexuelleLa Direction des questions féminines, en collaborationavec le Centre pour les victimes d’agression sexuelle deFredericton et différentes localités de la province, exprimehaut et fort le besoin de services de préventiond’agressions sexuelles et l’amélioration des services auxvictimes de telles agressions. Voici quelques-unes desactivités en ?uvre et à venir dans le cadre de ce projetpassionnant :

• Séance de formation à l’intention des personnesdésirant améliorer les services aux victimes d’agressionsexuelle dans leur localité et réseauter avec desreprésentants d’autres localités (les 13 et 14 novembreà Fredericton);

• Examen sommaire de la situation de l’agressionsexuelle au Nouveau Brunswick en vue d’accroître lacapacité des localités à offrir des services etprogrammes à l’intention des victimes d’agressionsexuelle et de pouvoir présenter une vue d’ensemblede la situation au Nouveau Brunswick;

Comité consultatif sur la violence faite aux femmesautochtonesEn 2006, la ministre responsable de la Conditionféminine, a établit le comité consultatif sur la violencefaite aux femmes autochtones. Actuellement, ce comités’occupe de cerner les priorités des femmes autochtonesau Nouveau Brunswick et d’élaborer un plan d’action enconséquence.

Pour plus d’information, veillez consulter notre siteinternet : http://www.gnb.ca/0012/violence/index-f.asp

Bureau du Conseil exécutif - Direction des questionsféminines


Advisory Committee on Violence Against AboriginalWomenIn 2006, the Minister responsible for the Status ofWomen established the Advisory Committee on ViolenceAgainst Aboriginal Women. The current work of theAdvisory Committee consists of identifying priority issuesof Aboriginal women in the province of New Brunswick,and developing an action plan.

For more information on the violence preventioninitiatives undertaken, please consult our updated websiteat http://www.gnb.ca/0012/violence/index-e.asp

Executive Council Office-Women’s Issues Branch

Compte rendu de la Direction des questionsféminines pour 2007

Relevant de la Direction des questions féminines, l’Unitédes initiatives portant sur la prévention de la violence estoccupée à travailler avec ses partenaires communautaireset gouvernementaux à la mise en oeuvre de diversesmesures présentées dans le plan d’action intitulé Unmonde meilleur pour les femmes : Aller de l’avant 20052010. Vous trouverez ci dessous un aperçu des travauxréalisés à ce jour.

Tribunal chargé des causes de violence conjugaleUn nouveau tribunal chargé expressément des causes deviolence conjugale a ouvert ses portes à Moncton le 12avril 2007. Ce tribunal provincial spécialisé entend lesaffaires pénales du district judiciaire de Moncton.

Le tribunal est présidé par la juge Anne Dugas Horsman.

Services d’approcheAu printemps 2007, cinq localités ou régions (le comté deKent, Bathurst, Fredericton, Shediac et Miramichi) ont misen oeuvre des services d’approche pour les victimes deviolence conjugale ou élargi les services déjà offerts. Lestravailleurs d’approche offrent toute une gamme deservices (p. ex. : renseignements, planification en vued’assurer la sécurité des victimes et de leur famille, renvoides clients vers d’autres organismes ou services,counseling et accompagnement des victimes à leursrendez vous).


NFVPM SIGNING WITH PREMIERLEFT TO RIGHT: THERESE MURRAY, EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR; PREMIER GRAHAM; DR. DAVID BESNERPRESIDENT. PHOTO BY: MULLINS PHOTOGRAPHY LTD

November Family Violence PreventionMonthPremier Bernard Lord signs the 15th Annual FamilyViolence Prevention Month Declaration. The month isrecognized by municipalities with grassroots initiativesand community Proclamations.

The Foundation holds AnnualGeneral Meeting

Joining together for answers (1985-2007)Foundation News

The Foundation is a charitable organizationdedicated to the elimination of family violencethrough support of action-orientated research,public education and awareness initiatives.

For more information, please contact:Muriel McQueen Fergusson FoundationPO Box 50 000. 678 Windsor StreetUNB Campus, Fredericton, NB E3B 6C2Phone: 1(506)472-5085Toll free: 1(888)673-6633 (mmff)Fax: 1(506)472-5084E-mail: [email protected]: www.mmff.ca AGM MEETING SPEAKERS

LEFT TO RIGHT: THERESE MURRAY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR;GUEST SPEAKERS LANETTE RUFF AND BARBARA FISHERTOWNSEND, DR. DAVID BESNER, PRESIDENT. PHOTO BY:MICHAEL NOWLAN

AGM guest speakers, Barbara Fisher Townsend, Ph.D.and Lanette Ruff, Ph.D. presented an overview on:Rave "Religion and Violence e-learning": a training

model for pastors and their congregations related tocollaborative community based integrated responses.

As it is still in the developmental phase, their developershave provided them with a registration feature. Tocomplete this process, click on the registration link at thebottom of the login page and fill in the required fields. Anemail will be sent to the RAVE inbox and they give youcomplete access to all resources on the website. If youhave any questions or comments, please contact:[email protected] or by telephone at 506-451-6957 [email protected] or at 506-451-6978.www.theraveproject.org. More information can befound on page 5.

New Brunswick SilentWitness Project:To Remember, To Create Awareness,

To Promote Action

The New Brunswick Silent WitnessCommittee continues to work withfamilies and community groups helping

create silhouettes for New Brunswickdomestic homicide victims. The response tolearn more about the project continues fromacross Canada. New Brunswick and PEI SilentWitness Committee members presented at

the Atlantic Police Academy in Summerside, PEI this pastFebruary. Silent Witnesses from both provinces werepresented to over 100 cadets from the Police Academyand related fields, Corrections and Customs officers.


The New Brunswick Silent Witness Committee is acollaborative partnership with the Charlotte CountyFamily Violence Committee (CCFVC), the MurielMcQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research(MMFC), the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation(MMFF) and the Provincial Caring Partnerships Committee(PCPC).

Now Available: A bilingual National Guide entitled, Howto start your own Silent Witness Project; BilingualSilent Witness car magnets $5 / each.Coming soon, The Silent Witness websitewww.silentwitness.ca.For more information on the Silent Witness project,contact the FVRC, 506-453-3595.

Fund-raising EventsRt. Hon. Madame Justice Beverley McLachlin,PC, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ofCanada coming to New Brunswick

beings; albeit with special needs that call for protectionfrom the legal system. The Chief Justice will discuss howthe law protects children, for example through impositionof tort liability for child abuse, protection of the child'sright to medical care, protection of the best interests ofthe child in custody and access cases, etc.

GUEST SPEAKER: Rt. Hon. Madame Justice BeverleyMcLachlin, PC, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ofCanada (PHOTO SUBMITTED)

“The law evolves”, states the Chief Justice, “but the lawalone is not enough to improve the lives of children,particularly when it comes to addressing the problem offamily violence. We must work together as communitiesto address the root causes of family violence. Throughresearch and public education the Muriel McQueenFergusson Foundation gives communities the tools tochange the lives of women and children; the tools tomake families safe places for all of their members.”

The Foundation is pleased that Michelle Carinci, CEO ofAtlantic Lottery Corporation, has accepted the keyresponsibility of Community Co-Chair. His Honour,Herménégilde Chiasson, Lieutenant Governor of NewBrunswick, will join as the dinner's Honourary Chair.Barbara Quigley, City Clerk for the City of Moncton andJames Lockyer, of the Faculté de droit, Université deMoncton and former Foundation Vice-President and Boardmember, are the Masters of Ceremonies for the evening.

The Foundation is pleased to acknowledge the support ofPlatinum sponsors: Atlantic Lottery Corporation, TheHonourable Margaret Norrie McCain, The University ofNew Brunswick, and Moncton Times Transcript; Goldsponsors: Bristol, Marwood, and Sitel; Silver sponsors:Aliant, Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada; Centrebeam,Emera, NB Liquor, Province of New Brunswick Women’sIssues Branch, and Stewart McKelvey; Friends sponsors,Delta Beauséjour, Isomni Solutions, New Brunswick Unionand Spielo; and Patron sponsors:, ADP, Caisse populaire,Magic 104, Mt. Allison University, Technology VentureCorporation and Trius Group.

MMFF GALA DINNER 2007 NEWS CONFERENCEPHOTO BY: DANIEL ST. LOUIS PHOTOGRAPHY

The Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundationannounced recently Rt. Hon. Madame JusticeBeverley McLachlin, PC, Chief Justice of the Supreme

Court of Canada as the MMFF 2007 Gala Dinner keynotespeaker this October. The Gala Dinner will be held at theDelta Beauséjour in Moncton on Tuesday, October 23rd asa kick-off for November Family Violence PreventionMonth, a provincial initiative of the Foundation.

The Foundation Gala Dinner chair, Linda White, wasexcited about the prospect of the Chief Justice’s visit toNew Brunswick and hearing her keynote address. “AsChief Justice, she is certainly aware of the impact familyviolence has on the fragile fabric of society and has apowerful message to share. Much has been accomplishedover the years but we still have family violence hauntingus every day across the country. By being exposed to theChief Justice’s message we can better appreciate howcomplex an issue it is.”

The Gala Dinner theme "Respecting Our Children: TheLaw Takes Note” will look at the evolution in the law'streatment of children, from treatment of children as"property" to treatment today as autonomous human


Join Muriel’s Mission and attend the Gala Dinner onTuesday, October 23, 2007 at the Delta Beauséjour inMoncton. Transportation provided by Trius Group. Ticketscan be purchased at a cost of $125.00 each (a taxablereceipt for $75.00 will be issued). Contact the Foundationoffice for further information or to purchase a ticket:1(888)673MMFF (6633) or www.mmff.ca.

behalf of women, children and vulnerable populationsand as the champion behind the province’s first AdvisoryCouncil on the Status of Women.

Lieutenant-Governors of New BrunswickLEFT TO RIGHT: Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain, MMFFLifetime Member, Hon. Herménégilde Chiasson,Sen. Marilyn Trenholme CouncellPhoto by: Mullin’s Photography Ltd.

MURIEL BELL PAINTING(PHOTO BY MULLINS PHOTOGRAPHY LTD)

Fredericton based artist Muriel Bell, has agreed to haveher inspirational piece entitled, Illuminator: Justice andWomen’s Initiative, which the Foundation affectionatelycalls Muriel’s Mission, stand as the signature piece for thefall Gala Dinner.

The original work hangs within the Foundation’s home atthe Centre for Family Violence Research on UNB Campus,678 Windsor Street, Fredericton, NB.

MMFF High School ChaptersUpdate

Bernice McNaughton High School from Moncton willsoon join MMFF High School Chapters Fredericton,

Harvey and Oromocto. These student driven groupscontinue to organize public education and awarenessevents on family violence within their school settings. Inaddition, school principals proclaim November FamilyViolence Prevention Month. For more information onthese groups or their work, contact the Foundation office.

Muriel McQueen FergussonFoundation Award

Madeleine Delaney-LeBlanc, social justice activist andfounding chair of New Brunswick’s Advisory Council

on the Status of Women (ACSW) was presented with the15th Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Award. TheAward, presented annually, is named in honor of theFoundation’s patron, Muriel McQueen Fergusson.Madeleine was selected as recipient for her life’s work on

MMFF Award 2007 LEFT TO RIGHT: T. Murray, D. Parkinson, M. Delaney-LeBlanc..C. Boldon. Photo: Mullin’s Photography Ltd.

In accepting the award Delaney-LeBlanc said, “Given heroutstanding contribution to the advancement of women,being associated with the name of Muriel McQueenFergusson is in itself very rewarding. And it is with greatpride and a lot of modesty that I’m joining the list of theFoundation’s award recipients with such illustrious peopleas June Callwood and Her Excellency Margaret NorrieMcCain, to name only a few."

Hosting the reception was the Honourable HerménégildeChiasson, New Brunswick’s Lieutenant Governor whoseoffice is recognized for being very supportive ofcommunity volunteerism and non-profit organizationsthroughout the province.


The Foundation makes a donation to a registered charityof the recipient’s choice, whose objectives further thegoals of the Foundation. Madeleine Delaney-LeBlanc’schoice is theMuriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for FamilyViolence Research (MMFC). "We have made a lot ofprogress in reacting to family violence and in educatingyoung women in not accepting it, but I don't think wehave made a dent in the incidence. We have not yetdiscovered the deep causes of violence against women,what motivates it. That's why I think that research is soneeded to find elements of lasting progress.” saidDelaney-LeBlanc.

The goal of the MMFC is to understand family violenceand generate effective action strategies to reduce andeventually eliminate it. The Muriel McQueen FergussonFoundation and UNB established the MMFC in 1992. Itworks in collaboration with St. Thomas University,l`Université de Moncton and other universities acrossCanada, numerous community organizations andgovernment agencies.(http://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/index.php)

“In her acceptance speech for the award, MadameDelaney-LeBlanc placed an emphasis on the continuedneed for research that can help to inform the actionsaimed at preventing family violence within ourcommunities”, stated Award Chair David Parkinson. “Herchoice of recipient is in keeping with those sentimentsand will help to support the MMFC’s ongoing work in thistruly important field.”

MMFF Grants Program

The 2007 MMFF Grants program funding decisionswill be announced in late September. Officially

established in 1992, the program provides financialassistance to non-profit organizations which research thecauses, incidences and forms of family violence; promoteeffective intervention; and support educational programsthat increase public awareness about this pervasiveproblem. A grant to a maximum of $3,000 is awardedper organization. For more information and the 2008deadline please visit our website:http://www.mmff.ca/mmff/en/programs/grants.aspx

Grants 2006 recipients include: • UPEI Dept. Family and Nutritional Services – Research

Day 2006, Charlottetown, PEI• Kent Centre for the Prevention of Family Violence, St.

Anne-de-Kent (Kent County), NB• In Home Early Intervention Program – Saint John, NB• Dress for Success – Saint John, NB• Big Brothers Big Sisters, Saint John, NB• Liberty Lane Inc., Fredericton, NB• Saint John Community Loan Fund, Saint John, NB• Crossroads for Women Inc., Moncton, NB• Services à la Famille de la Peninsule, Caraquet, Acadian

Peninsula, NB

Community Partnership work:

Provincial Caring Partnerships Committee (PCPC)www.violencepreventionnb.org Conference a BigSuccess! Over ninety people from communities across NewBrunswick gathered at a conference in Fredericton, N.B.,November 22nd-24th, 2006. This conference broughttogether service providers from community, volunteer,professional and government agencies who sharedknowledge on current and new initiatives in NewBrunswick to address issues relating to victims of familyviolence. It provided an exciting opportunity for anexchange of practice knowledge and networking. Theconference theme was “VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE INOUR COMMUNITIES: SUPPORT, KNOWLEDGE ANDEMPOWERMENT”.

If you have news or an event that you would like includedin the PCPC newsletter, please [email protected] with subject line "PCPCnewsletter".

La conférence du Comité provincial « On vous a àcoeur » www.violencepreventionnb.org est un francsuccès!

Award recipient chooses MMFC Left to right: Therese Murray, David Parkinson,Carmen Gill, Madeleine Delaney-LeBlanc


Plus de 90 personnes d’un peu partout au Nouveau-Brunswick ont participé à une conférence qui a eu lieu àFredericton du 22 au 24 novembre 2006. Cetteconférence a réuni des fournisseurs de servicesd’organismes communautaires, bénévoles, professionnelset gouvernementaux. Ils ont partagé leurs connaissancessur les initiatives actuelles et nouvelles du Nouveau-Brunswick pour s’attaquer aux problèmes auxquels fontface les victimes de violence familiale. C’était aussi unebelle occasion de faire du résautage et de discuter despratiques qui s’avèrent efficaces. La conférence avait pourthème « VICTIMES DE VIOLENCE FAMILIALE DANS NOSCOMMUNAUTÉS : INFORMER, SOUTENIR ETPROMOUVOIR L’AUTONOMISATION ».

Si vous avez des nouvelles ou un évènement à annoncerdans le bulletin On vous a à c?ur, veuillez envoyer uncourriel à [email protected] et indiquer «PCPC newsletter » dans l’objet (subject).

For more information on the Caring Partnerships project,please visit our website or email us: [email protected] orwww.violencepreventionnb.ca

Upcoming events:

“In Muriel’s Footsteps” Legacy Project

Spirited and uncompromising, the late Senator MurielMcQueen Fergusson captured the hearts ofCanadians from coast to coast by breaking gender

barriers and amassing huge accomplishments. At thesame time, the Shediac, New Brunswick native exhibitedsuch wit, wisdom and strength of character that herlegacy lives on in an active foundation and researchcentre.

The Foundation and the Times & Transcript have teamedup this summer for a legacy project called "In Muriel'sFootsteps." In preparation for the Foundation's AnnualGala in Moncton on October 23, living memories andanecdotes about Sen. Fergusson were sought. Highlightsof these glimpses of history and the work that lives on inher name will be contained in a special supplement to bepublished in the three largest New Brunswick dailynewspapers in the fall.

Sen. Fergusson, a graduate from Mount Allison Universityin 1921, was the first woman elected, in 1950, to theFredericton City Council and was the first woman deputymayor in 1953. She was appointed to the Senate ofCanada in 1953 and was the first woman Speaker of theSenate from 1972 to 1974. In 1974, she was sworn tothe Privy Council and in 1997, she was made an Officerof the Order of Canada.

"So much work is being carried out in her name today,but as time has passed, fewer and fewer NewBrunswickers remember her incredible life andaccomplishments," said Therese Murray, executivedirector of the Foundation. "We want to celebrate her life

by collecting the stories and memories of those whoknew her and remember working with her, being withher, and knowing her."

Each person who submitted a memory or story aboutSen. Fergusson will have their name entered in a drawto win two tickets to the Foundation’s gala dinner setfor October 23 at the Delta Beausejour. Special guestspeaker will be Rt. Hon. Madame Justice BeverleyMcLachlin, PC, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ofCanada.

Old Government House hosts MurielMcQueen Fergusson Foundation (MMFF)Gala Dinner Art Series

The exhibit features work created for the Foundation'sannual Gala Dinner Series. It includes works by artistsMuriel Bell, Herzel Kashetsky and Carolyn Purdy. Otherrelated works joining the display include: The NewBrunswick Silent Witness Silhouettes; Lois WilbyHooper’s Sue Anonymous Quilt Series; select piecesfrom the Putting Ourselves Back Together AgainMMFC collection; along with sculpture pieces byWendy Forrest.

This combined exhibit will be on display fromNovember 5 to December 7 as part of NovemberFamily Violence Prevention Month, an initiative of theMuriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation. Please drop byOld Government House, 51 Woodstock Road,Fredericton to view these inspirational pieces foryourself. For further information you may contact theMuriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation: 1-888-673-6633.

Old Government House accueillel’exposition de la soirée de gala de laFondation Muriel McQueen Fergusson(FMMF)

L’exposition met en vedette des ?uvres crééesspécialement pour la soirée de gala annuelle de laFondation. Elle comprend des productions des artistesMuriel Bell, Herzel Kashetsky et Carolyn Purdy. D’autrescréations seront aussi exposées, notamment lessilhouettes du projet Une témoin silencieuse duNouveau-Brunswick, la série de courtepointes SueAnonymous de Lois Wilby Hooper, des ?uvres choisiesde la collection Putting Ourselves Back Together Againdu CMMF ainsi que des sculptures de Wendy Forrest.

Cette exposition conjointe sera à l’affiche du 5novembre au 7 décembre dans le cadre du Mois de laprévention de la violence familiale, une initiative de laFondation Muriel McQueen Fergusson. Visitez OldGovernment House, 51 Woodstock Road, Frederictonpour admirer ces pièces inspirantes. Pour de plusamples renseignements, communiquez avec laFondation Muriel McQueen Fergusson : 1-888-673-6633.


Harley Davidson Elimination Draw comingin 2008

On the road to ending family violence! The MurielMcQueen Fergusson presents the 3rd Harley DavidsonElimination Draw in the spring of 2008 in support ofending family violence. Only 500 tickets are madeavailable at a price of $100 per ticket. Past events havesold out quickly so you will want to reserve your ticketnow!

Tirage Harley Davidson 2008

En route vers l’élimination de la violence familiale! LaFondation Muriel McQueen Fergusson présente le 3eTirage Harley Davidson qui aura lieu au printemps 2008et qui a pour but de faire progresser l’élimination de laviolence familiale. Il y a seulement 500 billets disponiblesau prix de 100 $ chacun. Les billets s’envolent vite, alorsréservez le vôtre dès maintenant!

Food & Wine Gourmet Adventure comingin 2008

The 4th Gourmet Food & Wine Adventure to be held inthe fall of 2008! This five course gourmet dinnershowcases culinary and wine paring skills of the MasterChefs and Sommeliers. A limited number of tickets will bemade available for $125 each (charitable receipts will begiven). Past events have sold out quickly so you will wantreserve your ticket now!

Aventure gastronomique 2008

La 4e édition de l’Aventure gastronomique se tiendra àl’automne 2008! Ce repas somptueux de cinq servicesvous permet d’apprécier les talents des grands chefs etsommeliers. Un nombre limité de billets sera vendu auprix unitaire de 125 $ (un reçu d’impôt sera émis). Lesbillets s’envolent vite, alors réservez le vôtre dèsmaintenant!

Therese Murray, executive director of the Foundation, andChristina Cameron, Office Administrator, work in thefootsteps of Sen. Muriel Fergusson whose image gracestheir office.

For more information, please contact:Muriel McQueen Fergusson FoundationPO Box 50 000. 678 Windsor Street UNB CampusFredericton, NB E3B 6C2Phone: 1(506)472-5085Toll free:1(888)673-6633 (mmff)Fax: 1(506)472-5084E-mail: [email protected]:www.mmff.ca

Documents

Networker MMFC - University of New Brunswick · lished in the MMFC Networker about the ... tice system's response to inti-mate partner violence, with particular emphasis on civil