Just as a quick recap—of course, we know your background as a police officer—in the 30 years that you were a police officer, did you see a beginning in the early 1970s...? I can recall there really was no such thing as victim services, or at least if they did exist, I didn't know about it. As I retired I saw a great change in the attitude.
You talked about the legs of the stool being equal. We gauge the perception and the people we think most about, or the people we want to get our message out, at least at committees, by the witnesses who we ask to appear. In some areas, especially in the legislation that we're introducing, we see a pantheon of witnesses who are very concerned about the rights of the people who are accused of crimes, and we try to bring in, of course, the victims and the voices of those who have had the crimes perpetrated against them. I suppose that is supposed to be a balance, and I'm hoping we achieve that balance.
When you look at some of the hearings that this committee has, if you have suggested witnesses, feel free at any time.... I know as ombudsman, I would think that's your job, to recommend witnesses. So please feel free to do that for us.
When I go into classrooms and talk to young people, the first thing they talk about is their rights. I say, “Your rights devolve from your responsibilities as a citizen. So before you can have rights, you have responsibilities.”
If you were to go and talk to, let's say, a group of young people, would you take that tack? How would you go about talking about your job and what you feel is the most important part of your job when it comes to telling people out in the public who you are and what you stand for?