Status of Women committee  Thank you. Yes, everyone suffers. Women are more likely to be victims of sexual assault and family violence. Their rights have been advanced through their demands. However, the fact remains that everyone benefits, including men and children who are subject to this kind of treatm

Status of Women committee  There will be two significant issues in the coming years, or perhaps in the coming months, on which the federal government will have to take a position. I will only talk about one of them. For example, how will the termination of matrimonial regimes in the Aboriginal communities

Status of Women committee  Most people think that in criminal matters, the role of the Crown prosecutor is always to represent the victims and defend their rights. But that is purely theoretical. His or her role is to discover the truth and to show neutrality within the legal system. When victims' rights a

Status of Women committee  In fact, the question in our minds is still the same. It's extremely difficult to reconcile. In the last two years, the current Conservative government has shown positive intentions as regards victims of violence, by amending the Criminal Code to help victims. So, it is absolutel

Status of Women committee  I would like to thank you for giving the Regroupement québécois des Centres d'aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel an opportunity to take part in the work of this Committee. I represent the Regroupement. Our organization includes the vast majority of organiz

Justice committee  Of course, what we're saying more concerns the people taken in by the organizations we represent. We also take in Aboriginal women and teenagers who come from reserves. You'll tell me that this is Canada, but there's nevertheless a major problem, and that is that Aboriginal teena

Justice committee  I think Bill C-22 provides the necessary leeway to allow judges more discretion regarding all the considerations mentioned earlier. Youths have this fear—in any case, we met some who have it—of getting caught in the calculation of age and of being charged with sexual assault in p

Justice committee  Yes.

Justice committee  It's the same thing in part. If Bill C-22 is carried as is, it is a necessary evil to allow this exemption so as not to criminalize adolescents who have sexual relations with each other. As I mentioned earlier, provided this does not cover only those rights, only the right to hav

Justice committee  I'll start, and I'm going to address the committee in French. The Regroupement des CALACS is an organization representing 30 centres for providing assistance in and combating cases of sexual assault. Our assistance centres have been in existence for 30 years and focus mainly on