Candace House: a safe place to call home

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This article was published 31/05/2017 (3051 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After years of preparation, Candace House has found a location for its long-planned victim-support refuge in downtown Winnipeg.

A safe space for victims’ families and survivors of violent crime is expected to open this fall in a comfort suite at 183 Kennedy St. — a two-minute walk from the Law Courts building. The close proximity is key to the non-profit organization’s mission to provide a place for families to relax while they participate in the court process on behalf of their deceased family members.

“The focus will be on supporting families who have lost a loved one, through homicide or a driving-related offence, but we’ll definitely be working with other victims’ services organizations and agencies to ensure that our space is used to the max that we can,” said Candace House executive director Cecilly Hildebrand, who is set to formally unveil the new location today, coinciding with Victims and Survivors of Crime Week.

The need is definitely very large. I mean, Winnipeg and Manitoba unfortunately continue to have some of the highest rates of violent crime, and so I think being able to offer a place like this is really important

This year alone, there were 590 court days set aside for 40 homicide cases in Winnipeg, including murder, manslaughter, impaired driving causing death and criminal negligence, according to court statistics provided by Candace House.

“The need is definitely very large. I mean, Winnipeg and Manitoba unfortunately continue to have some of the highest rates of violent crime, and so I think being able to offer a place like this is really important. And it’s the first of its kind — there’s nothing like this at all in Canada,” Hildebrand added, “so being able to offer service in a space like this is something we’re definitely very excited about.”

The suite will be furnished with comfy chairs, pillows and blankets, as well as a dining area and fridge and stove-equipped kitchen for meal preparation during lunchtime court breaks. There will be a private washroom with toiletries where guests can freshen up. They’re also working toward ensuring the ventilation systems can allow for traditional smudging ceremonies. Candace House got the keys to the new location at the beginning of the month and, after a round of renovations, the doors are expected to open in the fall.

Once that happens, Hildebrand said Candace House will look to offer workshops on topics affecting victims, such as how to deal with reporters, how to access the justice system and where to go for support.

Candace House consulted with Manitoba Justice in 2014 to determine what programs and services it should provide, a Justice spokeswoman said in a statement. The department gave $40,000 for program development, consultations and startup costs.

Many of the organizations that already work to help victims through the court process don’t necessarily have a spot to meet with families, Hildebrand said. A small room in the courthouse has been the only existing space for families to decompress and meet with supporters between court sessions, but it’s not ideal — especially considering the volume of court cases that pass through the criminal-justice system, each with their own set of victims, families and survivors.

“The need for Candace House is evident in the impact of crime in terms of the physical and mental health problems, as well as spiritual and relationship concerns, and economic and financial struggles — all often triggered again following interactions with the court process,” Hildebrand said.

Candace House is bringing to life the legacy of Candace Derksen, the 13-year-old who went missing on her way home from school in November 1984 and was found dead, frozen and bound, in a lumber yard shed less than two months later. Her accused killer, Mark Edward Grant, has just completed his second trial for second-degree murder in her death. He was convicted after an initial trial in 2011, but that conviction was later overturned on appeal, and a new trial was ordered. Now, more than 32 years after Candace’s death, the Derksen family awaits a judge’s verdict for the second time. As they wait, Candace House is coming alive. The timing isn’t lost on Hildebrand.

“The timing in this is particularly interesting given that closing arguments for the Mark Edward Grant case just took place, the verdict is pending, it’s Victims and Survivors of Crime Week,” she said. “You can make of it what you will, but it is interesting how things have come together.”

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca