You touched on a very good point, Mr. Murphy. That is, our provincial colleagues, who have great responsibility with respect to this area, are actually bringing in legislation. One of the things that impressed me in my recent meeting with attorneys general from across Canada is the initiatives by a number of provinces to assist victims in the collection of their money.
Mr. Comartin touched upon the jurisdictional issues that relate to this. On the one hand we're cautioned to make sure we don't go too far into provincial areas of this, but I'm quite impressed, quite frankly, by the level of concern that is taking place at the provincial level with respect to this.
With respect to victims in general, you will know and remember very well the emphasis we have placed on victims as a government with the creation of the office of the first federal ombudsman for victims of crime. This was a great step in that direction. Quite apart from how good a job is being done at the provincial level, and I'm very supportive of their efforts, we want to make sure that the concerns of victims are heard at the federal level. I'm very pleased about the work that is being done within that office. I'm very pleased and proud of the fact that we indeed created that position and that office to make sure that victims' issues are heard.
If you look carefully at the legislation that we have here before you--and these are my responsibilities--requiring the judges to consider restitution from the offender in all cases of fraud involving an identified victim with ascertainable losses is an important step forward. As well, there's requiring the judges to provide reasons if they don't move in this direction and putting the onus on the crown to advise the courts as to what steps have been taken to allow victims to set out their ascertainable and quantifiable losses so that restitution can be considered. This is one of the things victims told us. They don't want these things to go through and then find out it's too late for them to have their issues heard.
Monsieur Petit, myself, and others, when we heard this from these groups, said that makes sense. That's exactly what we should have in here: make sure that there is a forum for their concerns to be heard. You will be one of the first, I'm hoping, to agree with me that these are constructive measures being taken to make sure the system is more user friendly for victims and to make sure that the concerns of victims are before the court.
This is part of it, and I commend our provincial colleagues for what they are doing in this area. I indicated to you the federal ombudsman for victims of crime and the issues he and his office are dealing with. These are all part of it, because, you're right, one piece of legislation is not the whole answer. It's an important part of the answer, but it's not the whole answer. I'm pleased that it's part of a larger context.