Justice Committee on Nov. 4th, 2014

Evidence of meeting #50 for Justice and Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was c-32.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-32, An Act to enact the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and to amend certain Acts

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Lise Lebel President, Fondation Katherine Beaulieu

Sue O'Sullivan Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime

Sheldon Kennedy Board Member, Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre

Tracy O'Hearn Executive Director, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Alyssa Flaherty-Spence Member, Board of Directors, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Jonathan Denis Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General, Government of Alberta

5:25 p.m.

Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime

Sue O'Sullivan

I think she raises such an important point. Our office is contacted by people who lose loved ones overseas, be it through homicide or...and obviously, in her case, homicide as well. In terms of what she's looking for, her husband was killed in a different country, and she and other families who lose loved ones who are victims of crime in other countries still need the supports back here in Canada.

I realize it's a provincial matter, the actual direct support and victim support, and again, I can't speak on behalf of the provinces, but I understand that there have been discussions on “reciprocity”, I'll say. Even victims in our own country with loved ones who are victims of crime in another province face those same issues of not being able to access that.

The best example I can give you is this. Some of you are probably familiar with the fact that the European Union is basically in the process of implementing the EU directives that are, for want of a better word, a “victims” bill of rights in relation to service rights for the 28 countries. In that, they say that any member of the EU who is a victim of crime in any country will have a right to access those services back in their own country. I think there would be an expectation from Canadians that no matter where the offence happens, we would make sure that there are supports and services available to victims of crime in our country when a loved one is lost or is a victim of crime.

So I think she is raising a discussion that must be had. I can't speak to the provinces—they provide the direct services—but it also occurs within our country. We've heard from victims whose loved ones were murdered in other provinces that they can't access the financial supports they need, or else the counselling is unavailable to them.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

Within the office of the ombudsman, I know that you do have some resources. It's not exclusively Sue O'Sullivan. Has your department done any estimate of the cost of implementing the victims bill of rights and where it comes from, federal versus provincial?

Secondly, you've suggested several enhancements. Have you also costed them?

5:25 p.m.

Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime

Sue O'Sullivan

To answer your first question, my simple answer is no. Obviously that would be a huge undertaking.

What I can say is that we've looked at other countries who face similar challenges around implementation. Again, I'm trying to bring that different lens. Obviously, if you look at the EU directives, they provided a length of time to implement and they also provided funding. They made funding available to those countries that had to implement. To give you an analogy, if you will, in Canada, we have some provinces that have very robust victims services. We've also heard examples of where there are very few services available to victims.

So they made moneys available to assist in the implementation of this. I've heard from the government that there will be moneys available for implementation. Obviously, as the victims ombudsman, I would say that has to exist. If we're going to ask people to provide these services, to implement the bill, then we're going to have to ensure that there are resources in place to do that.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Mike Wallace

Mr. Casey, that's your time. Thank you very much for this question.

As we have two minutes left, Mr. Dechert, I'll give you time for one question.

November 4th, 2014 / 5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Dechert Conservative Mississauga—Erindale, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks to our guests. I'll be quick.

Ms. O'Sullivan, as I understand it, you have suggested that a new independent body be created to investigate complaints from victims that their rights may not have been honoured under the victims bill of rights.

First of all, do you have a sense of what that would cost and how many people would be involved? I assume you're not suggesting that your office would do that, but a new body.... Wouldn't that also require each of the organizations that would possibly be subject to investigation to have a complaints department person: the police services in various communities across Canada, the crown prosecutor's office, the Department of Justice Canada, and various provincial court organizations? They would have to have a complaint organization to liaise with the new investigative body that you're suggesting. Can you take us through your vision?