The bill certainly will provide better protection. Primary prevention failed completely in our case. Just a year and a half after the murder, Rolland Belzil was already before a review board. It is terrifying to know that the decision as to his release is in the hands of people like that. The man has spent his life manipulating others to his advantage. We are not reassured at all.
He said that his work was not finished and that he had only killed one out of four people. Just imagine what will happen if he gets out. My life will be over. Even if he had an escort, I would not have any kind of reassurance, because you never know what can happen. We have had issues with him for 12 years, both civil and criminal, and there has never been any question of mental illness in his case.
He was always well dressed, with his briefcase and everything. They said that Ronald's murder was the result of a psychotic episode, but, for years, he threatened him and said he was going to kill him. We do not understand any more; we are confused. At no time did we have the right to say a single word. Only the accused's own statements counted for anything. No psychiatrist questioned us; no one from the Institut Philippe-Pinel in Montreal and no one to provide another opinion. We sat in the room like statues. We never had a chance to say a word; we were never able to share our opinion. Only the day of the murder counted.
For us, the “high-risk” designation and the fact that people have to wait three years before they can go before the board again, that's a lot, it's a big step. This bill will give us trust in justice again.