CALGARY- A plan is in the works to help bring families struggling with the sudden loss of a loved one together.
Two Calgary mothers whose sons were murdered have met with the Alberta minister of justice, to try and secure funding for a support group and counsellor.
“When you meet with two people who have lost a loved one at the hands of a criminal, there’s very little you can say,” Jonathan Denis said. “It’s very unfortunate what’s happened and has affected so many people’s lives.”
He has since offered them use of a provincial building as a meeting place, and committed to help them get funding for support.
“To me, their ask doesn’t seem unreasonable, especially with what they’ve been through,” he added. “I’m not so much concerned about the cost as it does appear to be small, I want to be supporting the rights of victims and their families.”
Debbie Hogarth, who lost her son Josh in August 2012, says it will be a big help in the healing process.
“When you lose a child to homicide, you need to be surrounded by other people who have lost people to homicide, and this city had no support group, nothing.”
In April, the province announced $9.1 million in funding for victims of crime.
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