By JoAnne Wadsworth, Communications Consultant, G20 Interfaith Forum.
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On April 23rd, 2025, the Canadian Multifaith Federation, in partnership with the Anti-Racism Initiative of the G20 Interfaith Forum Foundation, hosted a webinar on “Guns, Gangs and Violence.” The webinar featured Devon Clunis, former Chief of Police in Winnipeg (2012-2016), the first Black person to achieve the status of chief of police in a major Canadian city; Lisa Lewis, an entrepreneur, lecturer, and advocate who bridges gaps between indigenous and other communities in Manitoba; Tony McAleer, former white supremacist who co-founded Life After Hate and now works to help others leave extremist groups; and was moderated by Dr. James Taylor Christie, Professor Emeritus of the University of Winnipeg, inaugural Dean of the Global College, and Ambassador at Large for the Canadian Multifaith Federation. The webinar was introduced by Pandit Roopnauth Sharma, CFO of the Canadian Multifaith Federation.
Introduction
Dr. Christie opened the webinar by welcoming the three panelists and explaining the format of the session. He noted that each panelist would speak for 10-15 minutes before engaging in discussion among themselves, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Pandit Sharma had previously introduced the Canadian Multifaith Federation, describing it as a representative body of faith communities across Canada committed to effective multi-faith cooperation, dialogue, and research.
Devon Clunis
Devon Clunis began by sharing his unique journey as both a police officer and a police chaplain, highlighting how his faith has been an integral part of his professional life. He became a chaplain in 1998 while still a constable, recognizing the importance of spiritual support for officers dealing with traumatic situations. Despite concerns that his religious role might hinder his career advancement, Clunis continued serving as a chaplain through multiple promotions, eventually becoming Chief of Police in 2012.
As Winnipeg was the murder and crime capital of Canada at the time, Clunis took an unconventional approach. Rather than simply adding more officers, he publicly asked citizens to “pray for the peace of our city” and then put action behind those prayers. Despite initial media criticism, faith communities responded positively, and Clunis encouraged them to take ownership of their neighborhoods and meet practical needs in their communities.
“We’re at a stage right now where I say this clearly: the collective ‘we’ have allowed things to get so bad that there is no way greater law enforcement, locking more people up, stiffer penalties… that’s not the cure. What the cure is is more of the love that we have in abundance that we can dispel into our communities compassionately.”
Lisa Lewis
Lisa Lewis introduced herself as having both indigenous and settler roots. She was adopted by a non-indigenous family in Winnipeg, only discovering her indigenous background at age 30 when she met her birth family, including her birth mother who experienced trauma from residential schools. This revelation shaped her path toward advocacy for indigenous communities while building bridges with other communities.
Lewis described her personal experience of taking wrong paths in her youth that seemed easy and rewarding, only to realize later that those who appeared to befriend her weren’t looking out for her best interests. She emphasized that young people join gangs and engage in violence for many reasons, including lack of belonging, trauma, poverty, peer influence, social media, and systemic issues like racism and discrimination.
“Young people are often at a crossroads, and the supports that they receive can be the determinant in choosing a path of hope or a path of harm… So what I will endeavor to do in the programs that I’m involved in is to give people, young people especially, better choices to choose the right paths.”
Tony McAleer
Tony McAleer shared his journey of spending 15 years in white supremacist and neo-Nazi movements before transforming his life. He referenced an African proverb: “A child not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth,” to explain how disconnection leads to extremism. Growing up with a workaholic father and experiencing trauma at an all-boys Catholic school, McAleer found acceptance in the punk scene and eventually skinhead groups.
McAleer explained how he traded his humanity for acceptance, attention, and a sense of power. After the birth of his children, he began a process of change that eventually led him to co-found Life After Hate, an organization that helped approximately 700 people leave hate groups. He emphasized that childhood trauma is the number one correlated factor in joining violent extremist groups, leaving behind “toxic shame” that can manifest in various harmful behaviors.
“The level to which we dehumanize other human beings is a mere reflection of our own disconnection and dehumanization… I truly believe that when we’re compassionate with another human being, we hold a mirror up to them and allow them to see their humanity reflected back at them when they can’t see it on their own.”
Community Building and Prevention
The panelists discussed the importance of proactive community building rather than reactive law enforcement. Clunis described initiatives like “Restore Our Core,” where volunteers from outside the inner city helped revitalize Selkirk Avenue. The most powerful transformation was seeing residents of the neighborhood realize that others cared about them and their community.
Lewis shared her experience with Clan Mothers Healing Village, where women who had been victims of sexual exploitation learned carpentry skills and built facilities that would support other women and girls. She emphasized the importance of creating culturally appropriate spaces for healing and reclaiming cultural identity through interfaith collaboration.
McAleer explained how organizations can help prevent extremism through primary prevention (programs not directly related to extremism, like after-school activities), secondary prevention (working with at-risk individuals), and tertiary intervention (helping those already involved). He stressed that understanding the underlying factors that drive people toward violence and extremism is essential for effective prevention.
Faith Communities and Law Enforcement
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the relationship between faith communities and law enforcement. Clunis emphasized that while one-on-one relationships are important, the philosophical change must come from leadership setting the tone. When he became chief, he made community engagement a priority and personally demonstrated how officers should interact with community members.
Lewis addressed concerns about indigenous communities’ reluctance to engage with police, suggesting that building individual relationships with law enforcement representatives could create positive experiences. She noted successful examples where police officers participated in indigenous ceremonies, creating moments of pride and connection for everyone involved.
Several participants asked about the role of chaplains in law enforcement. Greg Bailey, a lead chaplain for a police service, suggested distinguishing between “religion” and “spirituality” when engaging with officers. He noted that while religious discussions might be challenging in public settings, conversations about existential matters like forgiveness, acceptance, love, and hope are accessible to people of any faith background.
The Power of Compassion
All panelists emphasized compassion as a central element in addressing guns, gangs, and violence. Clunis clarified that compassion isn’t weakness but involves doing difficult things to help people in challenging situations. He criticized approaches that allow people to remain in harmful circumstances under the guise of compassion.
Lewis highlighted indigenous values that align with compassion, including the “Circle of Courage” model with its four principles: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. She explained that having purpose and giving back to others builds dignity and forms the basis of healing.
McAleer described compassion as the antidote to toxic shame, explaining that it’s how we “rehumanize people” and help them connect to their humanity. He acknowledged that having compassion for someone who shows no compassion can be challenging, but “sometimes they’re the ones that need it most.”
Conclusion
The webinar concluded with recommendations for addressing guns, gangs, and violence through faith-based and community approaches. Panelists agreed that a grassroots, preventative approach is more effective than reactive law enforcement or political solutions.
Clunis emphasized that the cure lies in prevention efforts led by communities of faith showing love and compassion. Lewis advocated for proper funding for prevention programs, highlighting the challenges of short-term funding models that undermine the consistency needed for effective intervention. McAleer stressed the importance of a whole-society approach, using data to identify social determinants that contribute to resilience or vulnerability.
The panelists’ diverse experiences—from law enforcement leadership to indigenous advocacy to extremist rehabilitation—converged on a unified message: building healthy communities through genuine connection, addressing trauma, and demonstrating compassion is the most powerful way to prevent violence and create lasting change.
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JoAnne Wadsworth is a Communications Consultant for the G20 Interfaith Forum Association and Editor of the Viewpoints Blog.