This was one of the most moving talks we filmed at the TEDxCalgary event about a judge who came to understand more deeply what justice is all about. His talk illustrates the difference between institutional understanding and deep understanding. Where Judge John Reilly took the time to be curious about the problems at the Morley Reserve, the legal system relied on protocols and procedures rather than any real understanding of the issue. This is one of the underlying issues for all institutions.
Here is one quotable I want to highlight:
“They (the First Nations) saw wrong doing as ignorance, in need of teaching, and illness in need of healing.”
Compare this compassionate and thoughtful approach to the current government approach where justice is a matter of punishment and deterrence. Just about every other country including the US has figured out that this approach does not work.
But, our appetite for easy answers based on surface understanding knows no bounds.
Something worth thinking about.