The Children's Senator : Landon Pearson and a Lifetime of Advocacy

An inspiring account of Landon Pearson's powerful and transformative vision for an architecture of children's rights through sixty years of advocacy, leadership, and mentorship. An inspiring account of Landon Pearson's powerful and transformative vision for an architecture of children's rights through sixty years of advocacy, leadership, and mentorship. "The Honourable Landon Pearson's domestic and global advocacy efforts with, for and on behalf of children and young people have unfolded over a period of sixty years including 30 years in the Canadian Foreign Service and 11 years in the Senate of Canada. Two of the key ideas that frame her vision are that as rights-holders, children have a right to participate in matters that affect their lives, and second, that every child needs at least one adult to provide steadfast and consistent support. In The Children's Senator, contributors detail Pearson's influence on children's rights scholarship, research and advocacy in a variety of areas including Indigenous children's rights, youth justice, commercial sexual exploitation of children, children's mental health and corporal punishment. Following Pearson's lifelong commitment to highlighting young people's participation, the volume also includes testimonials from former students regarding her invaluable mentorship. Pearson's professional career and aspects of her personal life, including her experience as a parent of five children, merge in a fascinating account of Canada's premier children's rights advocate. An intimate and compelling collection, The Children's Senator celebrates Pearson as a catalyst of change in Canada and internationally. Her efforts to construct a children's rights architecture in collaboration with decision-makers and young people inform a legacy that has laid a foundation for children's rights into the twenty-first century."-- Provided by publisher "The Honourable Landon Pearson's domestic and global advocacy efforts with, for and on behalf of children and young people have unfolded over a period of sixty years including 30 years in the Canadian Foreign Service and 11 years in the Senate of Canada. Two of the key ideas that frame her vision are that as rights-holders, children have a right to participate in matters that affect their lives, and second, that every child needs at least one adult to provide steadfast and consistent support. In The Children's Senator, contributors detail Pearson's influence on children's rights scholarship, research and advocacy in a variety of areas including Indigenous children's rights, youth justice, commercial sexual exploitation of children, children's mental health and corporal punishment. Following Pearson's lifelong commitment to highlighting young people's participation, the volume also includes testimonials from former students regarding her invaluable mentorship. Pearson's professional career and aspects of her personal life, including her experience as a parent of five children, merge in a fascinating account of Canada's premier children's rights advocate. An intimate and compelling collection, The Children's Senator celebrates Pearson as a catalyst of change in Canada and internationally. Her efforts to construct a children's rights architecture in collaboration with decision-makers and young people inform a legacy that has laid a foundation for children's rights into the twenty-first century."-- Résumé de l'éditeur The Honourable Landon Pearson's domestic and global advocacy efforts with, for, and on behalf of children and young people have unfolded over a period of sixty years including thirty years in the Canadian Foreign Service and eleven years in the Senate of Canada. Two of the key ideas that frame her vision are that as rights holders, children have a right to participate in matters that affect their lives, and that every child needs at least one adult to provide steadfast and consistent support. In The Children's Senator contributors detail Pearson's influence on children's rights scholarship, research, and advocacy in a variety of areas including Indigenous children's rights, youth justice, commercial sexual exploitation of children, children's mental health, and corporal punishment. Following Pearson's lifelong commitment to highlighting young people's participation, the volume also includes testimonials from former students regarding her invaluable mentorship. Pearson's professional career and aspects of her personal life, including her experience as a parent of five children, merge in a fascinating account of Canada's premier children's rights advocate. An intimate and compelling collection, The Children's Senator celebrates Pearson as a catalyst of change in Canada and internationally. Her efforts to construct a children's rights architecture in collaboration with decision-makers and young people inform a legacy that has laid a foundation for children's rights into the twenty-first century. Cover The Children’s Senator Title Copyright Contents Figures and Table Foreword Preface PART ONE: CONSIDERING PARTICIPATION AND RIGHTS-RESPECTING APPROACHES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE 1 Introduction “Curiosity, Creativity, Culture”: Landon Pearson’s Life and Work in Canadian Children’s Rights Advocacy 2 Exploring the Meaning of Children’s Participation 3 Travels with Landon: A Children’s Rights Journey 4 Is it genocide? The danger of saying “no” too quickly 5 Language, Culture, and Early Childhood: Indigenous Children’s Rights in a Time of Transformation 6 Policy and Punishment: The Struggle for Children’s Rights to Protection in Canada 7 Reflections, Opportunities, and Capacities: Being Bold and Creative PART TWO: REFLECTIVE ESSAYS ON PARTNERSHIP, COLLABORATION, AND LEADERSHIP 8 The Power of Partnerships 9 Earthquakes and Guinea Pigs: Spreading the Word about Children’s Rights with Landon 10 On Leadership, Intellect, and Kindness 11 Landon Pearson 12 A Testament of the Great Impact of the Honourable Landon Pearson PART THREE: ON MENTORING 13 Sage Wisdom and Safe Harbours: A Life of Social Impact 14 For Landon, Just Landon 15 Creating Consciousness for a Better World 16 (Re)Building a Sense of Identity: Landon’s Lessons in Trust, Love, and Mentorship 17 “Sometimes, all it takes is one person to make a difference”: Reflecting on the Importance and Impact of Quality Mentorship in Early Career Development” Contributors Index