The Deputy Minister said to me “Irwin what do you want me to do with that? “ In exasperation he added “we can’t legislate love you know”. I was stumped for a time. It was a young person who I told about this interaction who said to me “That Deputy Minister is right you know. But you should point out to him that while we can’t legislate love we can legislate the conditions in which love can flourish”. Dropping the metaphoric mic she added “How about working on that!”
In many ways I think that “legislating the conditions in which love can flourish “ encapsulates most of my efforts. Love is hard to find surrounded by forms of oppression. Love is hard to find in silence. Love is hard to find without belonging and community
As you do your own work to change the world. Small steps and large think about your efforts in context of legislating the conditions in which love can flourish
The first week of March 2020 I asked a small group of creative leaders from across Ontario all of whom I admire and trust. In reality they all have kicked my butt once or twice over the years. I wanted to talk with them about my desire to bring back together the broad group of stakeholders – youth led organizations, unions , service providers, academics, community advocates, – who helped shape the new Child Youth and Family Services Act.
The task I see ahead is creating a process that would mobilize and support so many in the Province who want the principles of the CYFSA (all services in child welfare, youth justice, special needs offered in a child centred manner, every child meaningfully participating in every decision that affects them, a commitment to Indigenous self determination and anti racism) to become a reality in the lives of children.
We can do this without government. Obviously the government of Ontario has other priorities. Let them. We will deal with it and in the meantime we will work together in many ways to create the conditions in which love can flourish
The Ontario government as a result of the Legislating Love work has placed a moratorium on youth leaving care at minimum until March 31 2021. They have agreed to create a readiness based system for youth leaving care to replace aging out.
I am supporting a group of First Nation youth in and from care and adult allies in Fort Francis who are determined to create a healing lodge which would be used by parents and children as a means of family support in lieu of our system of apprehension. I received this one minute video from them that speaks to a world view that allows it to be created. A world view I can only hope to one day understand but never fully employ. It is why our current system can not change fundamentally on its own or even by those inside it. The institution must be recreated
Here is my perspective on why I think the initiative is important
An interview with me podcast about Childrens Rights and how we can legislate love