"Remember Me" in Ontario: Fighting bad corrections laws

In Luke 23:42, "the other criminal said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'" The author of Hebrews says in chapter 13:3, "Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

"Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison."

Each of us is an offender in God's eyes. That God extends his grace deep enough to embrace even the life-sentence-serving criminal should comfort and inspire all of us who follow Him.

God's call to his church to remember those who are incarcerated for their offences is a theme throughout the Bible. (Look up Genesis 39-40, Matthew 25, and Acts 16 for more examples.) It demonstrates the beauty of God's heart and of the gospel that God extends a special care and remembrance for those who this world has not only forgotten but has very deliberately (and often even with good reason) physically removed out of sight and out of mind.

For me, obedience to this call will involve cycling from Hamilton to Toronto on August 10.

For me, obedience to this call will involve cycling from Hamilton to Toronto on August 10. August 10 is recognized each year as Prisoners Justice Day (PJD) in Canada, a day of remembrance for those who have died unnatural deaths in jail. PJD is also marked annually with activism, often including fasting, for inmates to be treated as they ought – not necessarily any better but also not any worse than they ought.

So with a group of others, I will be cycling on August 10 to Queen's Park with a letter for Ontario's Premier to raise awareness about bad laws that cause Ontario's inmates to die unnecessarily and unjustly. To remember those in prison. And to seek justice by changing those bad laws.

A theme from the examples of those throughout history who the Church holds in high regard for fighting injustices – from the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Shane Claiborne – is that the means of fighting injustice must fit the source of the injustice.  When people are oppressed in systems that are reinforced by government laws, like segregation in the USA or apartheid in South Africa, then God's call to do justice is a call to fight unjust laws through activism.

When people are oppressed in systems that are reinforced by government laws, God's call to do justice is a call to fight unjust laws through activism.

Not all injustices stem from bad laws or from the action (or inaction) of governments. However, those who remember the prisoners of Ontario cannot do so for much time without realizing that they are victims of bad, unjust laws. 

Several men have shared with me their stories which highlight a stark example of this injustice. These men were incarcerated on remand, only to later be found not guilty. In the meantime, they lost all their possessions with their home when they were unable to pay rent during their months locked up.

Several men have shared with me their stories which highlight a stark example of this injustice.

Those of us who will be remembering those who have lost their lives unjustly and those who remain oppressed by bad laws in Ontario on August 10 will be asking for three specific changes to policy:

• Laws that prevent life-saving health care from being offered to inmates need to change.
• Laws that cause 4000-5000 former offenders in Ontario each year to become homeless because of their incarceration need to change.
• Lastly, laws that set people with addictions up to fail in their attempts at recovery need to change.

You can read more details about our policy requests on the Ride for Reform website.

Those in Ontario can join the justice-seeking, criminal-remembering Church throughout history in seeking restoration, and by extension societal flourishing and community safety, by advocating with us. There are several ways you can get involved:

• Find information about supporting or joining the Ride for Reform at www.rideforreform.com.
• Follow along with updates at facebook.com/rideforreform.
• Ask any questions you have by emailing rideforreform@gmail.com.

Whether through Ride for Reform or otherwise, may we join God in remembering the prisoners in our communities.