Priscilla de Villiers
Encyclopedia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
activist. She was the founder and president of CAVEAT
Caveat
Caveat , the third-person singular present subjunctive of the Latin cavere, means "warning" ; it can be shorthand for Latin phrases such as:...
, an organization advocating governmental policy on crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
.
Originally from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, de Villiers is the mother of Nina de Villiers, a McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
student who was murdered on August 9, 1991 while jogging in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
. Her killer had, according to CAVEAT's website, "a long history of violence." This event prompted de Villiers to enter public life and found CAVEAT to lobby government policy to strengthen laws in the hopes of preventing similar incidents.
In May, 1995, she received an honorary doctorate of law from McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, Hamilton.
In August–September 2000 she ran unsuccessfully in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot for the Ontario PC Party, losing to Ted McMeekin
Ted McMeekin
Ted McMeekin is a politician residing in Flamborough Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale for the Liberal Party of Ontario...
.
Subsequent to the by-election, Ms. de Villiers was appointed Special Advisor to the Ontario Office for Victims of Crime where she continued to provide direct support to victims of crime and conduct research on issues that impact victimization. The research resulted in a report on the role of victims of crime in restorative justice in Ontario. Her appointment ended in January 2005.
In 2006 she was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Victim Issues to the Policy Centre on Victim Issues, Department of Justice, Canada.
In March 2007 Priscilla de Villiers was appointed as a member of the Ontario Office for Victims of Crime.
In 1993, McMaster University created a memorial garden dedicated to Nina de Villiers on the university grounds, in front of University Hall.
Charity work
CAVEAT (Canadians Against Violence Everywhere Advocating for its Termination) was a CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lobby group which existed from 1991 to May 10, 2001, based in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
. The organization agitated for a number of changes in government policy, particularly in promotion of tough-on-crime legislation and increased gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
. It was founded by Priscilla de Villiers in 1991, after her daughter Nina was murdered.