Justice committee  I thank you for that opportunity, because you've touched on something that's really important. First of all, when a person becomes a victim of crime, it may be the first contact they ever have with the criminal justice system, which all of us here know is complex and complicated.

Justice committee  First of all, you've touched on some very important points. This is one bill before the committee. We do need to look very much in a broad lens at meeting the needs of victims of crime within the criminal justice system. I am looking forward to seeing the victims bill of rights tabled—

Justice committee  —but I want to acknowledge that this is just one piece. I think what it's doing, and I certainly reflect on the comments of Mr. Spratt, is that people will say, well, they can impose at certain points already, but the difference here is that this proactive and mandatory rather than discretionary.

Justice committee  That's exactly why I identified those issues in my opening comments. We recognize that there are transcripts that come from a trial. I have no problem with that at all if they can have access to the transcripts. There's usually a cost associated with the transcripts—

Justice committee  —so once again the victim will have to bear the burden of cost. That would be the issue.

Justice committee  So you can have the transcript if you can afford it. You'd have to look at either waiving all costs—

Justice committee  They have to request the transcript. I have to be frank here. I don't know which courts charge or what, but I know there are potentially costs associated with that.

Justice committee  If I could add one point, I think it's also important to clarify that we're talking about time in court here. This bill also talks about the parole board decisions and it talks about—if I may use the word “warden”—the institutional head. I think those have to be in writing, because, first of all, any Canadian can get a copy of the decision registry of the parole board, but the decision registry is not a transcript.

Justice committee  Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and honourable members of the committee. Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss Bill C-489, which seeks to further protect child victims of sexual offences and to help ensure that victims are not re-traumatized through unwanted contact with their offender.

Justice committee  I think that when you talk about victims of crime—as I spoke to earlier, and I think everyone here has heard this at the committee—when it comes to public safety being paramount, and when it comes to more information for victims so they can have the information they need to feel safe, there is a consensus around that.

Justice committee  You have touched on something very important, which is that victims need to feel safe. As you know, what determines how a victim feels safe will differ for different victims. You've already heard from many witnesses before this committee about that need to feel safe, and that includes information you have heard from witnesses who have come across the accused in the community, and they weren't even aware that the accused was out.

Justice committee  Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and esteemed committee members. Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss Bill C-54, which seeks to enhance public safety and better meet the needs of victims in cases where an accused is determined to be not criminally responsible, or NCR. To begin, I would like to take the opportunity to provide a brief overview of our office's mandate.

Justice committee  We can never lose sight of who has suffered the harm and the loss here. If we look at the issues and principles of sentencing, we can see that this is about reparation of harm to victims and to the community at large, but it's also about the accountability and responsibility of the offender.

Justice committee  I would even build on that and encourage the provinces and territories to ensure that they have those conversations and discussions. I can't make recommendations.

Justice committee  I will use federal offenders as an example. As we know, they can earn wages, and they can also have an income account in the federal penitentiary. I think most victims of crime would find it reasonable that reasonable amounts be deducted from that so they can meet their debt—