Restorative approaches: Marking Restorative Justice Week November 16 to 23
November 18, 2025 - Defence Stories
Estimated read time – 2:00
Restorative approaches come from Indigenous traditions that have been shared for generations. Many Nations, like the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, use circles and peacemaking to help people live in harmony, solve problems, and bring back balance when there is conflict. Today’s Restorative Practices are based on these teachings. They are built on respect, relationship, and the Good Mind, a Haudenosaunee principle of peace and balance. Recognizing and naming these Indigenous roots honours the knowledge that continues to guide this work today.
Within the Defence Team, this approach helped to create the Restorative Engagement (RE) Program on Sexual Misconduct as part of the 2019 CAF-DND Class Action Settlement.
A restorative approach puts people first. It understands that harm happens within relationships, so healing and accountability must also take place in relationships between individuals, within groups, and with institutions. It focuses on listening, learning, and acting in ways that help build trust and lead to real change.
The RE Program’s restorative approach builds on six principles that guide its design and practice.
- Focused on relationships: We focus on building trust through every interaction. Our staff take the time to create respectful relationships with clients and colleagues, including learning what matters most to each person. This is key to being people centred.
- Comprehensive and holistic: We work in connected ways, looking beyond a single event to understand the social, emotional, and cultural factors that shape each person’s experience. This means noticing how each person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are linked, as we work together.
- Inclusive and participatory: We make sure people affected by a decision have the chance to speak up and help plan what happens. This means removing barriers and supporting people to share their own experiences.
- Responsive: We adapt to each person’s unique needs and situation, instead of following one way of doing things. This means staying flexible so we can best support those affected by harm.
- Focused on individual and collective responsibility: We encourage people, groups, and organizations to find real ways to help create safer and healthy spaces for everyone. This builds accountability at all levels.
- Collaborative and non-adversarial: We bring people together to share ideas, learn from each other, and find positive ways forward. We do this with care for everyone involved and by listening and learning together.
In marking Restorative Justice Week, the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) reaffirms its commitment to accountability and meaningful change through restorative approaches that centre people, relationships, and shared responsibilities.