I must say I was scheduled to be here in October, the day after the terrorist attacks in Ottawa, so that was a real trigger for me.
Today I come here after the attack in Jerusalem. The co-founder of CCAT, the Canadian Coalition Against Terror, is in Israel at this moment in time, and it is a friend of his who has been greatly injured, the gentleman who lived in Toronto. All this affects me needless to say. Bear with me, please.
Good afternoon, everybody, Mr. Chairman and honourable members of the justice committee. I am grateful to be here today to lend my support and to thank the current government for initiating Bill C-32 for all victims.
This particular bill has been a passion of mine ever since I became a member of the victims of crime club. It was the murder of my husband on 9/11 that put me in this club.
Like many average Canadians, before the murder of my husband by terrorists, I could never envision my life changing so drastically. Never could I imagine being called a victim. You will note on the written statement that I always capitalize victim because it denotes respect.
Many people ask why I continue to identify myself as a Canadian 9/11 widow and a victim. I respond with a reply that makes most Canadians uncomfortable. I am a living Canadian victim, and my late husband is the dead victim. I will continue to label myself as a victim, and not a survivor or victorious, until such time as my beloved country Canada finds the balance between rights for criminals, or in my case terrorists, and the rights of victims.
My experience as a Canadian victim living in Canada, as did my late husband, was not something Canadians would be proud of if they knew all the issues I was faced with in the aftermath of Ken's murder. In the question and answer period after my testimony, I will be pleased to give any details this honourable committee wants to hear.
The point I would like to make is that there was no plan or policy in place for victims of terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11. Most Canadians just assume, first, that they will never enter the victims of crime club, and second, that if a Canadian is victimized, there will be basic rights and victim services to help them in their darkest moments.
The very basic rights of respect, compassion, and courtesy were not enforceable for me and my family after 9/11. I'm not talking about average Canadians, but rather the political powers, the government at the time of the terrorist attack in New York City.
I became a victim of politics. Even from the recent past, politicians are debating whether the murders of Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Patrice Vincent were acts of terror or cold-blooded murders. One does not need to debate whether or not they were victims. Even though they resided in different provinces and were victims of a terror attack or a violent crime, there should be rights at the federal level and a sense of fairness for the victims of these heinous crimes.
In the aftermath of 9/11, at the highest level of our Canadian political leaders, I was dismissed. Initially our former prime minister at the time of the 9/11 terrorist attack discounted that Canadians were in New York. Six months after 9/11, following an outcry to have a public 9/11 memorial in Canada, the former PM said that these things happen from time to time and he saw no reason to mark that occasion.
To add to the pain of losing my husband to such a heinous crime, the prime minister publicly blamed the victims on the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The prime minister was interviewed on CBC by Peter Mansbridge and publicly blamed western greed for the 9/11 attacks. I repeat, our Canadian prime minister blamed the victims.
When the fog of disbelief and hurt began to dissipate, I started to look into my rights as a victim of violent crime, albeit outside of our Canadian border.
We are not here to discuss victim services which victims should rightfully count on to navigate through the trauma they have been sentenced to for the rest of their lives. What is important to note, however, is that when I began to question what victim services were available at the provincial level, I was told that I did not qualify because my husband's murder occurred outside our borders. I have to qualify that, too, and right now, because sitting beside me is somebody who was instrumental in the Ontario victims of crime organization, Sharon Rosenfeldt. There was an outreach at the time, but they were tied by provincial mandates that didn't include terrorism. Everything was done that could possibly be done at that time. It was only later when there was a change of government that things changed.
At this time, I would like to have the committee look at the current definition of who is considered a victim of crime. As stated by the current Government of Canada Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime:
The law defines a victim as someone who has experienced emotional or physical harm as the result of a crime [committed in Canada]. Family members, legal guardians or dependants are considered victims when the victim is deceased, is a child, or is unable to act for him/herself due to illness or incapacity.
If we are to strengthen the victims bill of rights, it is most important to remember that a Canadian who resides in Canada is no less a Canadian if they happen to become a victim of traditional violent crime or terrorism outside our borders. Please ensure that victims' rights are enshrined when the crime is committed outside our border. After all, terrorists who are Canadian citizens and have been successfully convicted as terrorists—and I refer to Omar Khadr—are able to demand their rights. There should be a balance. I understand that there has been a lawsuit initiated against the Canadian government by Mr. Khadr.
At this time I would like to once again commend the current government for their initiative in proposing the VBR. I would like to invite all political parties to help draft the final result. Victims' rights are a non-partisan issue. I remind all the MPs here that they themselves narrowly escaped becoming victims of terrorism. Terrorists don't know borders. They don't care what political party you represent. They don't differentiate in regard to what one's ethnic or religious belief is when they decide to attack innocent civilians.
In my closing remarks, I would like to add the following. It was after my appearance in regard to the ATA that the Honourable Peter MacKay suggested that a Canadian ombudsman be created in order to have a federal government office that works to have victims of crime and their families heard. This was a giant step. However, I am still waiting for the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime to be empowered to represent victims in situations when victims' needs are not being met. It is difficult to insist on victim services when the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada have not seen fit to include Canadians who have been victimized outside our borders in the definition of “victim”.
I'd like to refer to a quote by an Irish barrister: “All Canadian victims, including cases where the crime occurred abroad, shall have the right to access and receive, at least, a minimum standard of nationally consistent victim services and supports.” This quote could have come from the forum that was initiated by our ombudsman's office. I was fortunate to participate in this forum in September of this year.
It was at this conference that Maria McDonald, an Irish barrister, explained what was happening with the victims' rights directive in the EU. The victims' rights directive is a European law that requires all EU member states to implement legislation to give all victims of crime minimum rights, supports, and protection. This law will apply regardless of where the crime was committed in the EU.
I would like to echo the submissions of other members of the victims of crime club. Victims' voices of traditional types of crime have been heard by you from my friends Joe Wamback and Yvonne Harvey, and by wonderful victims organizations such as the CRCVC—I believe it was Heidi Illingworth—and of course, the federal ombudsman's office. Actually, Sue O'Sullivan, our current ombudsman, is supporting me today with her presence. Thank you, Sue. I know I will agree with Sharon Rosenfeldt, who is sitting next to me. I haven't read her testimony yet, but I know ahead of time that I will support her statements, because she shares membership in the victims of crime club.
I wish to go on record as supporting all the recommendations to strengthen this bill. I wanted to add my concerns through the lens of a victim of terrorism. I urge politicians of all our Canadian political parties to pass Bill C-32, but to strengthen it by listening to what other victims have stated before me. I sincerely hope that the Canada I know and love will be a leader in the global community and make the statement through the victims bill of rights that will enshrine our values as Canadians, and declare a national victims bill of rights that will be enforceable.
Thank you.