Striking a balance: Restorative justice brings offenders face-to-face with their victims

They didn’t get their wish until this year, in the country’s highest court, when Ellard’s attempt for a fourth trial was quashed, leaving her convicted of second-degree murder. While journalists asked for the Virks’ opinions after each and every turn in the legal saga, the couple had little to do with the case other than sitting by and hoping.

But with Glowatski, things were different. The only boy among the group of teens involved in the beating — and Ellard’s partner in the fatal drowning — Glowatski pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. A few years later, in July 2006, Suman and Manjit sat across from him in a church basement in Mission — a far cry from the Supreme Court of Canada — and received two things Ellard has never given them: A sense of closure and an apology.

‘You don’t really want to sit down and talk to the person who has taken your child’s life,” Suman Virk said of her initial reaction to participating in restorative justice with Glowatski.

“Seeing what he had to say for himself, it doesn’t make things right or take away the pain, but you can let go of the questions you have and put it behind you.

“It gave us a voice to say whatever we needed to. in Mission — a far cry from the Supreme Court of Canada — and received two things Ellard has never given them: A sense of closure and an apology.

‘You don’t really want to sit down and talk to the person who has taken your child’s life,” Suman Virk said of her initial reaction to participating in restorative justice with Glowatski.

“Seeing what he had to say for himself, it doesn’t make things right or take away the pain, but you can let go of the questions you have and put it behind you.

“It gave us a voice to say whatever we needed to.

This is a gripping story, well told, with a thorough explanation of restorative justice and of the problems raised when restorative programmes are marginalized. Read the whole story.