Evidence of meeting #49 for Justice and Human Rights in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was data.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Julie McAuley  Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
Craig Grimes  Chief and Advisor, Courts Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
Mia Dauvergne  Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
Carole Morency  Acting General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

3:55 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

That was for a presentation that we made to the Senate on child pornography and child luring.

3:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

You haven't got that far into the attachment materials added here.

3:55 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

No, we haven't provided it for this. We can provide it later, if you would like.

3:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

Let me ask you a question about it, then. You have a very high level of persons accused of sex offences against children 0-17 years. You also have a very high ratio in the age group of 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Those figures were as of 2008. Has there been any change in that, or is that still the same?

3:55 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

Sorry; it would help me if I could see the graph you were discussing.

There hasn't been that much variation in the rate per 100,000 population.

3:55 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

To get back to what you gave us today, are those age groups reflected in the data you've got here as to the police reporting--not the charges or convictions, but just the police reporting?

3:55 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

In the information we've shown you here, you have the age of the victim. We haven't included anything on the age of the perpetrator or the accused individual. All we do on slides 6, 7, and 8 is show you the relationship between the accused and the victim.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

Then if I could go to slides 9 and 10, are those sexual assault and other sexual offences against both children and adults?

4 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

The other sexual offences are the offences that are the subject of this bill and that are predominantly against children. In terms of the sexual assaults, as Mr. Grimes mentioned and as I mentioned in my comments, we cannot distinguish the age of the victim based on the court record. All we know is that based on police-reported information, about half of all sexual assaults in Canada in the last year were committed against children.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

Mr. Chair, I'm a bit concerned, because I think the material they sent us on Monday is relevant. I want to be sure it's in the record of this committee and the hearings of this committee. Is that the case now? It has not been presented by them, and I would like to put it in. The clerk has it, because obviously she circulated it to us, but I'd like that in the record of this committee.

4 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Do you have the material there with you so that you can make it part of the record? It has been circulated to everyone at this committee.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I don't want to give up my copy.

4 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

It'll be on the file.

February 16th, 2011 / 4 p.m.

Mia Dauvergne Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

May I just point out that the slide he showed us was 2008 data? We have more recent data than that. I believe that was a slide that we may have presented last year. We have more up-to-date information from 2009 that we would be happy to present to the committee.

4 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Mr. Comartin, would it be sufficient for them to provide each one of us with that updated data?

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

Yes. I just wanted to have it so that when this bill gets to the House, I'll be able to refer to it.

4 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

We can provide it.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I'm saying to you that I need it fairly quickly.

4 p.m.

Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Julie McAuley

Certainly. We can do that quickly; there's no problem.

4 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

I'm not sure you need our permission to refer to it in the House.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I want to be sure that the House is aware that this committee had this information.

4 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

All right. We'll make sure that we circulate that information once we receive it. We'll circulate it as soon as we get it.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

All right.

How much time do I have?

4 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

You have about a minute.

4 p.m.

NDP

Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

I want to stay with these offences. It's the same chart; I think it is page 13.

Is there anything else in the data that have been reported to you that would show any other reason for the increase in the custodial rate—I'm on page 13 now—and the drop in the use of conditional sentences, other than the bill that was passed at that time that increased the penalties?