I think what you're referring to in our submission is a reference to a small notation on the standard form that's recommended in the bill. This portion of the form essentially says that with the permission of the judge, the victim can comment on the type of sentence the person should get. That's just a little detail that's tucked away on the form that I think some might have missed.
As the law stands now, a victim is not allowed to comment on the type of sentence that he or she thinks the accused should get. The focus of the victim impact statement is in fact on the impact on the victim, physically, emotionally, and every way possible, and how it has made their life more difficult. That's what the judge needs to take into consideration when they're coming to the appropriate form and quantum of sentence.
It's not something that's been permissible up to now, and in my experience it's really not something that will be particularly helpful. The judge, the crown, the defence—they're experts in what the jurisprudence will tell them about what the appropriate range of sentence should be. Ultimately the judge is the arbiter of where the quantum comes down.
Again, I think it has the possibility of raising expectations on the part of victims. If someone asks for eight years in prison and the person gets four because that's what the case law says, that victim may not be particularly happy about that.