Justice Committee on March 18th, 2013

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Brampton West, ON]

Thank you. Those are all my questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Thank you very much.

Our next questioner is Mr. Casey from the Liberal Party.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

In connection with your reference to judges, at present are there any vacancies on the Federal Court of Appeal?

[William F. Pentney]

I'm sorry, I can't speak to whether there are vacancies; I simply don't know.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Okay.

My question is whether all the federal judicial appointment committees in—

[An hon. member]

On a point of order, what does that have to do with the supps (C)?

[The Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

We'll wait and let him finish his question and then we'll find out.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

—the various provinces are all fully constituted.

[William F. Pentney]

Mr. Chair, I have no role in relation to the appointment of judges. That's a matter—

[The Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Mr. Casey, this is about supplementary estimates (C), and they are senior officials on the financial aspects of the supplementary estimates (C).

[William F. Pentney]

I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Chair, but beyond supplementary estimates (C), we don't play a role in supporting, creating, staffing, or otherwise following the judicial appointment committees. That's a matter handled by the minister on the one side and others. The department is not involved in the judicial appointment process in that regard.

[The Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Thank you.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Mr. Armstrong, from the Conservative Party.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Department of Justice is seeking our approval for an additional $1.4 million for the victims fund, which is vote 5. The fund currently has $11.6 million a year to give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system. What are the priorities of that fund that you are looking for more money for?

[William F. Pentney]

The victims fund has served the purpose of enhancing the overall focus consistent with the government's agenda and enhancing the focus on victims through the criminal justice system, raising awareness in terms of the rights of victims, enhancing access to victims programming, working in cooperation with the provinces and territories to look to enhance access to victims, enhancing the use of technology to better enable victims to participate remotely or otherwise in criminal justice proceedings, and to be aware of them, and overall just to enhance the knowledge, awareness, and profile of victims' issues in the criminal justice system.

That's the victims strategy. As we talked about, the victims fund in particular has supported child advocacy centres by promoting awareness and enhancing participation.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

You talked about four child advocacy centres currently being funded and that 11 more are going to be funded. They seem to be getting good feedback across the country. I'm from Atlantic Canada. How many of those are in Atlantic Canada?

[William F. Pentney]

I'm looking at the list I have and I don't see Halifax.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Halifax has one, but of the 11 new ones, is anything scheduled to be in Atlantic Canada, in Moncton, Charlottetown, or Saint John?

[William F. Pentney]

No. We'll get back to you.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Thanks very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Thank you.

Our next questioner is Mr. Jacob from the New Democratic Party.

[Pierre Jacob, NDP, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My first question has to do with the Department of Justice's request that Parliament authorize a transfer of $83,333 to the Office of the Co-ordinator for the Status of Women. The money is to support the development of knowledge for aboriginal service deliverers on the issue of sexual assault of girls.

Does this transfer tie in with the measures to tackle the problem of missing and murdered aboriginal women?

[William F. Pentney]

It is not meant as a direct response to the report that Mr. Oppal just released in British Columbia. At a more general level, it is intended to address the matter of sexual assault against women and children in aboriginal communities.

[Pierre Jacob, NDP, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Will those measures include a public inquiry into the disappearance and murder of aboriginal women in Canada?