1930-2023
Landon Pearson was a true champion for children. She strongly believed in the rights of children, particularly their right to be heard. One of her most important initiatives was an annual workshop called “Shaking the Movers” where youth provided leadership on discussions with decision makers on the Articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
For Landon, the Convention was not simply a political document which could be signed by Canada and put on a shelf. It represented real promises to children which we had an obligation to keep. As a Canadian Senator she frequently pointed out the gap between those promises and Canada’s failure to implement them in our policies and practices.
The plight of children in First Nations communities was an important issue for Landon. She visited remote communities in Northern Ontario to witness firsthand the lives of children in those communities and the challenges they faced. She understood that those children needed to have hope and a belief that their lives could be better. She then became an advocate for those changes.
When Defence for Children International-Canada established a lecture series on children’s rights in honour of Grant Lowery, Landon Pearson was one of our first lecturers in 2001. She spoke on the topic of “A World Fit for Children: Children’s Rights in a Wider World”. It was a clear and compelling statement of what was needed to make our world a place where children’s rights would be respected and implemented.
When DCI-Canada set up its Patron’s Council, Landon was asked to be one of our Patrons and she readily agreed.
With Landon’s passing, children have lost a strong advocate and we have lost a dear friend.
AJS
