Unfortunately, I can't see any manner in which this would assist victims to have monetary or psychological support.
I would echo the comments of my colleagues on the panel and my own comments at the beginning, that really what we need to be seeing is more resources placed into health services. While I recognize that because of the division of powers this is not the jurisdiction of the federal government per se, through the transfer of tax dollars and the creation of health guidelines we could be seeing those supports.
Following the recommendations of the Mental Health Commission, as well as of many professionals in all the evidence that will likely be put forward and that has already been put before this committee, as well as the evidence that is out there, what we need is a resourcing of what Senator Kirby, as he then was, called the “poor cousin” of health care in this country, which is mental health care.
I'm sure there isn't one person in this room who doesn't have experience of a family member with mental health issues. As someone who has had to resort to using committal procedures for family in the past, I can say that it's certainly not something any of us wants to do. But one of the most problematic components of using those provisions is the lack of resources, once you get the person into the system.
I would urge that at every level there be a commitment to address these issues for victims, for those individuals who have mental health issues for which they are declared not criminally responsible, and for many more with whom I am vastly more familiar than those who have been declared not criminally responsible, who are in the prison system with mental health issues and who require support so that they do not end up in isolated conditions.