EMAIL me at: Bob@BChrismas.com
Chrismas, Robert and Brandi Schellenberg. (2026). “Not in My Back Yard, Not My Problem: The Effect of Social Justice Discourse in Calling to Action for Community Wellbeing,” in Benjamin Maiangwa, Peace and Conflict in Core Periphery Relations: Rethinking Margins, Violence, and Power. New York: Routledge Publishing.
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Thrilled to publish this article in the inaugural issue of the Journal established in my almamatre, The Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice.
Chrismas, Robert (2026). “Hope Rising from a Sea of Inhumanity: Imagining a Compassionate Vision to Reality in Winnipeg’s Community Safety Team.” International Journal for Peace and Justice (inaugural edition) Volume 1.
Abstract
One need not look to the Global South or conflict zones worldwide to find marginalized and oppressed communities. Canada has one of the highest living standards in the world. Yet, many of our citizens live unhoused or with unstable power, undrinkable water, and insecure food supply. In the larger urban centres people seem to have become accustomed to stepping over unhoused people who are dying in the streets, or they avoid visiting the impoverished core neighbourhoods altogether. Countless individuals suffer from mental health challenges or addictions exacerbated by poverty. Most will not act unless they cannot avoid what is occurring in their own backyard. Society would rather hide the undesirable lifestyles and way of life of the homeless, poverty-stricken, criminal, or addicted individuals by congregating them in impoverished neighbourhoods. Many feel that if these social blisters are out of site, and “not in my back yard” (NIMBY) then they are someone else’s problem. We should all feel responsible to overcome this culture of indifference and silence as NIMBYism has a high societal cost to everyone, especially in the city of Winnipeg and other Canadian cities. This chapter explores the phenomenon of inaction, denial, and how the average person is called to act on social issues in their communities. We examine the power of adding to the discourse around social responsibility to raise awareness and inspire people to make positive contributions in their communities.
Travelling occasionally, even briefly, is refreshing. Many of my most memorable experiences in life are from my travels- breaking out of the routine and appreciating how others live.
This week, Barb and I revisited Victoria BC, having been there once about eight years ago. We took a day trip out in the Salish Sea, to where it meets the open Pacific Ocean. It was a warm day but got colder as the chop grew and we hit the thermocline of the cold breeze blowing in off the open ocean. There we discovered humpback whales, sea lions, seals, and an impressive ecosystem unlike any on land.
It was nostalgic for me as we came close to where my childhood buddy, Pete, drowned on our fateful kayak adventure in that area 38 years ago. It stands out in my memory like it was yesterday, because I never felt so close to death, but equally present and alive. I had no business being out there, inexperienced in kayaking, let alone in the ocean. Pete, Duane, Tom and I were 20 feet apart and could not see each other because the swell was so high. The Broken Group Islands are a wild and beautiful place, untamed and free to visit. I got a sense of the thrill that adventure seekers chase, tempting fate by getting close to a harsh and unforgiving eco-system. It reminded me of our insignificance in the universe. To this day, I think back to experiences like that, when I feel worried about things; don’t take yourself to seriously because this is all a fleeting moment.
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(c)ian_roberts iroberts36@gmail.com
(c)ian_roberts iroberts36@gmail.com
(c)ian_roberts iroberts36@gmail.com
The 250-year-old Great Banyan near Kolkata spans an area of 3.5 acres and is one of the notable trees of our planet.
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Chrismas, Robert and Brandi Schellenberg. (in peer review). “Not in My Back Yard, Not My Problem: The Effect of Social Justice Discourse in Calling to Action for Community Wellbeing” in Looking In, and Breaking In: Conflict, Peacebuilding, in Through the Outdoor of Core-Periphery Relations (Routledge Publishing).
Abstract
One need not look to the Global South or conflict zones worldwide to find marginalized and oppressed communities. Canada has one of the highest living standards in the world. Yet, many of our citizens live unhoused or with unstable power, undrinkable water, and insecure food supply. In the larger urban centres people seem to have become accustomed to stepping over unhoused people who are dying in the streets, or they avoid visiting the impoverished core neighbourhoods altogether. Countless individuals suffer from mental health challenges or addictions exacerbated by poverty. The same disparity can be seen throughout the world. Many live around these tragic social issues and do not see them as their problem unless they are directly affected by them. Most will not act unless they cannot avoid what is occurring in their own backyard. Society would rather hide the undesirable lifestyles and way of life of the homeless, poverty-stricken, criminal, or addicted individuals by congregating them in impoverished neighbourhoods. Many feel that if these social blisters are out of site, and “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) then they are someone else’s problem (Chrismas, 2020). We should all feel responsible to overcome this culture of indifference and silence as NIMBYism has a high societal cost to everyone especially in the city of Winnipeg and other Canadian cities. This chapter explores the phenomenon of inaction, denial and how the average person is called to act. We examine the power of adding to the discourse around social responsibility to raise awareness and inspire people to make positive contributions in their communities.
Chrismas, Robert (draft submitted). “Hope Rising from a Sea of Inhumanity:
Imagining a Compassionate Vision to Reality in Winnipeg’s Community Safety Team.” International Journal for Peace and Justice (inaugural edition, Mauro Institute).
Abstract:
Fostering hope in our divided world, Winnipeg’s Community Safety Team was created with a ground-breaking vision of compassionate service to those most vulnerable in society while improving public safety. Drawing on Jean Paul Lederach’s hopeful idea of the moral imagination, we contend that hope can rise from the sea of inhumanity, if we develop the empathy and the strength to carry it out. This article explores how seminal peace-keeping strategies such as sustained dialogue can empower networks to build collective peace. The paper also highlights the importance of protecting the protectors as this type of work carries a high risk of trauma for the caregivers.
I’ve made a study of our cat, West, and feel I’ve taken some valuable lessons from him.
1- He is always right in the present and where he wants to be. I’ve noticed this about cats, and have often said if reincarnation is a thing, I’ve like to come back as a cat.
2- He is playful, even as an old cat he seems to forget he is older, running around like a kitten and is always up to play. I often wonder if it is because there are no other cats around him to remind him of what old looks like.
3- He only reacts and doesn’t over-react. When I play-fight with him, he only reacts to what happens, and not to what he thinks is going to happen. If I reach toward him, he only reacts if I grab him. And if I grab him, he only reacts with the exact amount of force that I use. If I act like I am going to grab him, he doesn’t react at all. It’s a state I’ve worked toward in martial arts and tai chi. Focusing on the present and not worrying about the future or potential problems is a great lesson learned from this. It is a perfect balance.
Mindfulness and being in the present are great lessons I’ve taken from observing this cat. It reminds me to worry less about things that might happen in the future, or things that happened in the past that I cannot change.
Working in law enforcement for over 40 years, I’ve seen a lot of death, and was always aware that I might be in a position to capture a person’s dying declaration. I’ve always held that it could be a honour to be there, and ensure that a person’s last wishes are at least carried forward. I did not know this columnist, Shawna Forrester Smith, but when I read this last article she wrote, it struck me that it is not often that someone knows they are going to pass on and can write their last thoughts with time for thought and consideration. This is such a dying declaration, and I wanted to use my tiny platform to share it forward for Ms. Smith.
‘I had a wonderful life despite all the hard stuff’ Chronically ill, disabled Free Press columnist Shawna Forester Smith died last week, three months after writing thisCompass for LivingBy: Shawna Forester Smith
Posted: 4:53 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025
This last column I won’t ever read because if you’re reading this, it means I have left this Earth for whatever is next.
Someone I knew left a Compass for Living when she died and I thought it was brilliant, so I am stealing her idea. Thanks, JoAnn — may your memory be a blessing.
So here it is.
Shawna’s Compass for Living
Collect people, not things. Things offer fleeting happiness. Relationships are what give our lives meaning and purpose, not stuff.
Choose love. Love the shit out of your family and friends. Tell people that you love them. Show love towards strangers because we are all connected.
Choose kindness. It’s actually less effort to be kind than it is to be an asshole. Perform acts of kindness every day. They don’t have to be big or expensive. It can be as simple as giving a hug or listening to someone.
You’re never too old for a stuffy. This I was told by a wise beyond her years nine-year-old who died far too young.
Don’t be afraid to do things because of the word ‘no.’ Because what if they say yes?
There’s no such thing as too much education or wasted learning.
You can have more than one soulmate.
Family is also the people we choose.
Every stranger has the potential to be a friend.
Help people if you can — it’s the right thing to do. Help as many people as you can. Help your family and friends and help strangers, too. You will rarely regret helping someone.
The best gift you can give someone is your time.
Visit the sick, elderly and isolated people who you know. Visit them often. It means more than you will ever know.
Write people letters and send people cards. It’s a delight to get fun mail.
Be grateful. Be gracious. Remember to say miigwetch.
Leave the judgment to the Creator. Try not to judge others — we don’t walk their path.
We get out of life what we put into it. If you want love, love others. If you want to be treated with respect, respect others. It’s pretty simple really.
We’re all creative. Find your outlet. Creating is medicine.
It’s not so much what happens to us that matters in life, it’s how we react to what happens to us that really matters. That is what weave control over.
It’s never too late to forgive or ask for forgiveness. Don’t leave the Earth with unfinished business. Make right the wrongs.
Find your person. The person who gets you better than anyone else. The person you feel safe with and trust. The person who you can bare your soul to. The person who loves you warts and all. The person who will always be there for you. We all need a person like that.
I had a really good life despite it being really hard. I loved so many people and I was loved by so many people. I fell in love and remained in love with my husband, Brent, for over 20 years. I also found my “person.” I had the love of not one, but four families because of adoption, finding my birth families and marriage. I had a huge chosen family. There are so many people who called me their daughter, their sister and their auntie who I didn’t share blood with.
There are a lot of people who called me their bestie. I had more than one-person I considered a kindred spirit.
I made connections with so many caregivers over the years. People who shared laughter and tears with me. People who worried about me. Some of them told me their secrets and asked me for advice.
I have so much love and gratitude for all the caregivers who looked after me on my journey. Without them, I would have been dead years ago. They gave me the gift of time. And what a wonderful gift that was.
I’d like to thank all of you for being there, too. So many people have reached out to me to tell me how much my writing meant to them and what an impact it made. People also honoured me by sharing their stories and struggles. It truly was an honour.
I was inundated with cards, letters, emails, phone calls, messages on social media, gifts, homemade gifts, flowers and even people surprising me becoming in person to see me. I made friends because of the column. People asked if they could visit me.
Never in a million years when I started this column in February 2024, did I expect any of this. I didn’t plan on writing that much about me. My plan was to write about health-care issues. The paper initially didn’t commit to anything either.
Writing about my life was a surprise but those were the columns you readers seemed to enjoy the most. And I really enjoyed writing them. Chimiigwetch for all the love and support you gave me. It was a great gift.
I also want to thank the Free Press. Editor Paul Samyn took a chance on me. I made sure to thank him for that.
My fearless editor, Scott Gibbons, was a pleasure to work with. He had the gift of being able to edit my writing without distorting my voice. That is not something that every editor can do. He always understood the importance of what I was doing.
I was allowed to write about whatever I wanted. That’s pretty much every columnist’s dream job. They helped make a lifelong dream come true from. It never felt like work. I enjoyed writing every word. I also enjoyed writing back to everyone who wrote to me.
I’ll end this by reminding you the most important thing in life is the people we choose to share it with. You can never have too many people. Strangers are just people we aren’t friends with yet. Don’t get so preoccupied with living life that your relationships suffer.
Make time for the people in your life. Don’t put off spending time with your family and friends. The laundry will still be there.
Make sure your people know how much you love them. If you put love into the universe, you will be showered with love in return. And isn’t that wonderful.
Life is hard, but life is also amazing. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I’d appreciate fewer health conditions if I had a second kick at the can, but I had a wonderful life despite all the hard stuff. The good stuff made it worth it.
If there’s a newspaper in the afterlife, hopefully they will let me write for it. I won’t let fear of ‘no’ stop me from asking this time. Because what if they say yes?
It has been 15 years since publication of my first book. Over the years it has been a prodigious journey of developing my voice, expanding my reach, and, hopefully increasing my influence to do social good through my writing and speaking from the heart. I’ve stayed committed to speak truth to power, doing my utmost to retain the courage and humility to overlook the occasional pushback that I’ve felt from my writing, in my life and career. I’ve strived to always do the right thing and tell the truth, regardless of where the chips fall. That first book on policing brought me to the Prime Minister’s Office and a book signing in Centre Block of Canada’s parliament, and as far as Hong Kong talking about my views on Canadian Policing. I’ve now published over sixty articles, book chapters, and six books, each with a specific message and purpose. Every piece has been a different journey. I am eternally grateful to the people who have empowered me through encouragement and inspiration, and by allowing me the education, training, and platforms to continue developing my voice. It has been remarkable to eventually feel I could call myself an ‘author’ and receive the royalty cheques from my books. I’ve been reflecting more of late, on why I write, and it certainly has never been for money. I recently spent $4,000 to purchase copies of my books, so I could give them out and make them more accessible to the people I feel need the message that each manuscript intends. So, I met today with the Executive Branch, Writing Division of my Corporation, Bob Chrismas Consulting Inc. (Barb and I 
) and decided that all proceeds from my writing from today onward, will be given to charity. This year’s proceeds will go to Cancer Care and Research, as this scourge has claimed several friends and loved ones in my life. Thank-you ALL for reading my stuff; Bob C- Writing for Social Change.
Wonderful book launch event for Devon Clunis’ memoir, and honoured to say a few words.
