A Vancouver primer for Restorative Justice Week, aligned with Truth and Reconcilaition Call to Action
VANCOUVER, BC, October 28, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Elders, justice partners, people formerly in prison, and allies gather to show Restorative Justice in action through Section 84 - a legal pathway that empowers Indigenous communities to co-create culture-based release plans, restoring relationships and improving community safety. The Circle of Eagles Lodge Society (COELS), one of Canada's leading Indigenous authorities on Section 84 release planning, will host the Section 84 Kwanatul Conference in Vancouver from November 13–14, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver.
"Restorative Justice is our law in practice. Section 84 is not a program – it's a legal right that affirms Indigenous self-determination in the justice system," said Merv Thomas, CEO of Circle of Eagles Lodge Society. "When Indigenous communities lead the way home, healing happens - not just for the person returning, but for families, neighbourhoods, and the systems around them."
A Legal Right, Rooted in Healing
Section 84 of Canada's Corrections and Conditional Release Act gives Indigenous people in federal custody the legal right to develop a release plan with their community and an Indigenous organization. The approach reconnects returning citizens with ceremony, culture, and community support - reducing recidivism and strengthening public safety.
Indigenous people represent only 5 percent of Canada's population yet make up over 32 percent of those in federal prisons. For Indigenous women, that figure rises to nearly 50 percent. Section 84 reintegration addresses this over-representation by creating a pathway home that is community-led, culturally grounded, and trauma-informed. A direct fulfillment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 35.
A National Movement for Justice Change
For more than 55 years, Circle of Eagles has operated on Coast Salish territory, providing culturally safe halfway houses, Elder-led healing programs, and employment and life-skills training for Indigenous people returning to community. The organization has supported over 1,300 Brothers, Sisters, and Relatives through its lodges and outreach services, delivering more than 36,000 meals annually through its Bannock on the Run and Unhoused Outreach programs.
The Kwanatul Gathering (meaning 'Together') will feature:
• Elder & Resident-Led Circles – sharing lived experience of healing and accountability
• Workshops on how Indigenous communities can implement or expand Section 84 planning
• Policy and Advocacy Sessions – advancing community-led models aligned with Canada's new Indigenous Justice Strategy
• Cultural Ceremonies and shared meals honouring Coast Salish protocols
"Reintegration works when it's Indigenous-led with community," added Thomas. "Section 84 is a public-safety solution rooted in culture, not corrections."
A Call to Walk Together
The 2025 National conference invites justice professionals, Indigenous organizations, people formerly in prison, and community citizens committed to reconciliation to take part in shaping a new future for Indigenous reintegration.
Event Details
What: Section 84 Kwanatul Gathering – National Conference on Indigenous Reintegration
When: November 13–14, 2025 (pre-registration and networking Nov 12)
Register: section84.com
Nov 12: Meet & Greet 5-8:00pm PST
Nov 13: Breakfast + Press Conference 8am + Program 9am - 4:30pm PST Feast Ceremony 6-9pm
Nov 14: Program 9:00am - 4:00pm PST
Where: Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC
Register: section84.com
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Press Conference November 13, 2025 8:00 AM PST
Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC
Lived-experience: Johnny Mattice (Abbotsford, BC) and Ruby Harry (Vancouver, BC) can share success stories of Indigenous-led Section 84 planning; entrepreneurship, career paths and family reconnection.
About Section 84 section84.com
Section 84 of Canada's Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) is a legal provision that allows federally incarcerated Indigenous people to return to their communities through a reintegration plan developed with an Indigenous organization. Recognized as a legal right, not a program, Section 84 supports culturally grounded, community-led approaches to reintegration.
Fact Sheet incl. provincial statistics
High Res Images
Media Kit https://bit.ly/section84media
About Circle of Eagles Lodge Society (COELS) circleofeagles.com
Founded in 1970, Circle of Eagles Lodge Society is an Indigenous-led non-profit organization providing community-based residential facilities and aftercare on Coast Salish territory. COELS offers culturally grounded reintegration programs for Indigenous Brothers, Sisters, and Relatives returning to community from federal incarceration. Through its halfway houses, Elder-led programming, and national Section 84 leadership, COELS is building a Canada where healing and public safety walk together.
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