Justice Committee on May 13th, 2010

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Unfortunately, clause 3 does not set out a hierarchy but merely states three principles equally.

The third one, by the way, in regard to the intent of the act, reads:

(iii) supporting the prevention of crime by referring young persons to programs or agencies in the community to address the circumstances underlying their offending behaviour...

Is this introduction of a new element, a requirement to refer young persons to programs or agencies in the community, something that your organization would welcome?

[Michèle Goyette]

I don't think it's new. I think it was already in the previous act.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I'm sorry to interrupt. This is in fact an addition. Paragraph 3(1)(a) was not there previously.

[Michèle Goyette]

The act already allowed for young people to be referred to agencies in the community, and in fact that is something that is done quite frequently in Quebec.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

So it gives you no comfort that now we are requiring it specifically and explicitly.

[Michèle Goyette]

There is no problem.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

There is no problem.

Ms. Gaudreault, are you able to estimate for me how many victims of crime there are in Quebec in a year, for example?

[Arlène Gaudreault]

There would be about 50,000 cases in Quebec.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I understand from your website that your organization has 275 members, some of which are other organizations and some of which are individuals. Is that correct?

[Arlène Gaudreault]

Yes.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Of those 275 members, how many are individuals rather than organizations?

[Arlène Gaudreault]

Frankly, I don't know what proportion.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

What is your position with--

[Arlène Gaudreault]

About 80% of the members of our association are organizations. All of the major groups in Quebec that work with women victims of violence and centres to help victims of crime are members. There are police, people who work in crime prevention, private therapists.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I will interrupt you for a moment because I have such short time.

What I think I heard you say is that 80% of your members, generally speaking, are groups, and the converse is that 20% are individuals. Is that correct?

[Arlène Gaudreault]

Yes.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Of those 20% of people who are individuals and members of your group, how many are victims of crime?

[Arlène Gaudreault]

They represent a very low proportion, since we are not an association of victims. We are a coordinating organization, an victims' rights advocacy organization. So we work on a daily basis with women victims of spousal violence, with children, with victims' families. We are not an association of victims. A majority of our members are organizations.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Brian Murphy]

Mr. Woodworth, we'll have to leave it there. Thank you.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Are we out of time? Is it five minutes?

[A voice]

Seven minutes.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Brian Murphy]

I'm very sorry. I just took the chair and I thought this was the next round.

You have two minutes. I apologize.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Thank you. That's quite all right.

Can you tell me, to your knowledge, how many victims of crime have received from your organization a copy of Bill C-4? Do you know?

[Arlène Gaudreault]

I can't answer that kind of question. All the members who are part of the association receive the newsletter and so they have been informed about this bill. They receive information through their own organizations, and like any member of the public, they take an interest in what is going on in Canada. However, they have their own responsibility to inform themselves.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

You don't know whether your organization sent out a copy of Bill C-4, which we are here to discuss today, to any victims of crime.