Alberta Government May Have Misused Victims' Fund: Please Advise

Last year, the Alberta Government collected $72M dollars from criminal fines earmarked for Victim Services and instead redirected the funds to regular police operations. I’m Canada’s most noted stalking victim and I once benefited from the help from a wonderful volunteer through Victim Services paid for by this money. Twenty years ago, he had a manager, a computer, phone and an email address so he could do his work and, thus equipped and supported, he generously gave his time, heart and soul to alleviate suffering and reduce the trauma of an experience with the legal system as a victim. He helped me a lot. I have discovered that the situation has radically devolved for the large volunteer contingent and the tiny administrative side of Police Victim Services in Alberta. I think it was a mistake to defund Victim Services. It is certainly outside the spirit of the program.

I would like to stop this from ever happening again and I would like to help the important people understand that it is neither wise nor valid to starve victim assistance programs, especially not to balance operating budgets.

What do I do?

I know this $72M redirect to be factual but I cannot prove it the usual ways. I found out in a way equivalent of being trapped in an elevator with someone who spills the beans but then can never be contacted again. Canada has no Freedom of Information Act (only in the USA) and no practicing journalist (like Ben Swann) has been interested and reported on this decision that I can locate. Google used to offer the ability to search news over a duration which was great for research and has now been nerfed. I’m not sure how to approach this problem.

When my stalker situation was at a low point, a volunteer member of Victim Services made an enormous difference to me. I wrongly assumed that their work would go on and be better and better supported. I wrongly assumed their budget was guaranteed by the law that forces the collection of fines from criminals for benefit of victims. I did not know that a government minister could unilaterally reverse the intention of the law and subvert its effect.

To be fair, the Minister’s reasoning was, apparently, that backfilling the police operating budget would reduce the number of victims and/or the severity of their suffering so that Victim Services wouldn’t be as needed. I disagree with the logic but I’m glad that the Minister felt a justification was required because a capricious, unjustified decision would signal an even worse state of affairs.

I believe the solution is to update the law to specifically not allow sequestered funds to be integrated into operating budgets. I wouldn’t mind forming a working group to think through what a better (but not elaborate nor expensive) structure could be, one where (FINALLY PLEASE) recovering victims are included and integrated.

Back in the day, I invited the Alberta Government with a White Paper I wrote and with the support of a wonderful Journalist, Crown Prosecutor (like Assistant District Attorney) and Private Threat Manager, Heather Gray, to create a Threat Management Unit and they did so with an annual budget of $2M to start. But my most important contribution, that the Victim be on the Team, was eliminated so I failed at the key point. I have survived (so far) because I have participated in the processes and decisions involving my fate. I have been able to participate because I have been included. I have been included because I ask to be and don’t give a reason to be excluded. To me, that’s Transformative Justice working well but it could be even better and more inclusive.

Pretend you are me. What next steps do you recommend?

(Here is background on my case for the curious.)

The written decision
https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abpc/doc/2002/2002abpc138/2002abpc138.html

A later newpaper article
https://edmontonsun.com/2012/04/18/woman-terrorized-by-stalker-for-decades/wcm/8d975049-a100-4309-b156-9c9148535229

"Canadian Case Files" Katherine Whitbread (TV ... - IMDbwww.imdb.com › title › fullcredits
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848842/fullcredits

“Run For Her Life” by WFIVE
https://www.mcintyre.ca/titles/CTV033

ITRAC is the new name for ARTAMI
www.victimsweek.gc.ca/symp-colloque/past-passe/2011/presentation/pdfs/Dellrae_Sharpe_eng.pdf