Thank you.
It is on that basis that we want to say we support the final section of the amendment surrounding the Criminal Code and further information regarding decisions in cases related to sexual assault.
Finally, in regard to gaps, we recommend that in addition to reporting on what seminars were offered, the number of judges who attended said seminars and the names of those judges are disclosed in reporting, similar to a mechanism of enforcement.
Finally, we recommend the implementation of reporting that asks judges to reflect and provide responses on how these seminars contribute to the incorporation of trauma and violence-informed approaches.
We are concerned that the existing phrasing around the proposed seminars does not represent the diversity of survivors of sexual violence in Canada. In particular, considering the organizations present today, we feel that a further enshrining of “Diverse voices who represent persons, groups or organizations the council considers appropriate, to support sexual assault survivors and organizations that support them...”.
Thank you very much for your time.