Howard Sapers, 2003 Weiler Award Recipient

Mr. Howard Sapers is the recipient of the 2003 Weiler Award. Prior to his appointment as Vice-Chairperson for the Prairie Region of the National Parole Board, Canada, he was the Director of Crime Prevention Investment Fund (CPIF) of the National Crime Prevention Centre, Canada. Mr. Sapers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Simon Fraser University and was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 to 2001.

Some of the volunteer organisations with which Howard Sapers has been associated with include the John Howard Society of Alberta, the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, the Youth Canada Association, the Alberta Science Literacy Association, the Public Legal Education Network of Alberta and the Association of Human Services in Alberta.

The Weiler Award

The Weiler Award is presented bi-annually to recognize the contributions and commitment of Canadians to the field of social justice and social development. In honour of the late Dick Weiler, a humanitarian who devoted his life to these causes, the national trust fund and award have been established in his name.

The fundamental theme of the award is "furthering social development and social justice through partnerships among individuals and organizations". Award recipients are, therefore, chosen from among nominations or individuals or groups who uphold these values and themes in their daily work. They come from government, non-government agencies or the private sector.

Howard Sapers

Mr. Sapers is a dedicated volunteer in the area of criminal justice and social policy. He staunchly believes in the importance of using the voluntary sector to promote positive change in social justice matters and to inform the general Canadian public of the important issues of the day. This belief has guided his work on issues as community corrections, restorative justice and crime prevention.

Howard has dedicated his life to crime prevention and has acted as an agent of social change at the local, provincial and national levels. He has developed positive relationships with a number of community-based organizations and individuals across Canada and has encouraged them to become involved in crime prevention activities and develop cooperative strategies for the reduction and prevention of crime. In addition, he has assisted them to work with existing programs and organizations to increase their public involvement, awareness and interest in crime prevention through social development.

To quote from the nomination material "What is most important about Howard's advice is his rigorous attention to detail, research and fact. While he has a strong ideology that supports the notion of a humane criminal justice system, he never lets himself be blinded by assumptions. Thus, his advice is all the more important".

Links:

The Weiler Award
CPIF