Yes. This is the Liberal amendment that follows from the testimony that we heard from the federal ombudsman for victims of crime, Sue O'Sullivan, to the effect that she would support notification to the families of victims when an offender does not exercise his or her right to apply for the faint hope clause. And we did hear that from other witnesses representing victims as well. Mr. Dechert, Mr. Norlock, and other members of the Conservative team here on this committee have said repeatedly that some families of victims live in a great deal of anxiety once the fifteenth year begins to approach, knowing there is this faint hope clause.
Based on that, we believe it would be reasonable to bring into play the requirement that when an inmate does not exercise his or her right to apply for early parole under the faint hope clause and the deadline has expired, the chief justice in the province where the conviction took place, or his or her designate, immediately notify in writing a parent, child, spouse, or common-law partner of the victim that the convicted person did not make an application. And if it's not possible to notify one of the aforementioned relatives, then the notification shall be given to another relative of the victim; and in addition, that the notification shall specify the next date on which the convicted person will be eligible to make an application.
The notification of the next date is precisely based on comments that we Liberals have heard from witnesses, but also from the Conservative members, when they've stressed the anxiety that families of victims have, not knowing if and when an inmate would apply for early release under the faint hope clause, as it now stands, because there is no deadline. Therefore, we are proposing this amendment. And we hope to have the support of the Conservatives, the Bloc, and the NDP on this.