Thank you, Mr. Cooper.
I think it's a combination of factors, to tell you the truth. The police oftentimes are not quite sure how to investigate these cases. So much of this happens behind closed doors.
For example, with child abuse we have the Children's Aid Society that investigates cases independently. It would likely be helpful to have an independent body. I'm not sure how that could be set up at the provincial level.
On the other hand, the police need to be empowered and trained so that they know how to investigate these matters and to actually charge those who should be charged criminally.
In order to do so, we need some clarity in our Criminal Code, which is where I think Mr. Webb's recommendations come into play. Right now, we only have a precedential value with these Criminal Code sections as it relates to individuals outside of institutional settings who have been charged with criminal negligence or failing to provide the necessaries of life.
I think if we have some clarity in the Criminal Code that actually stipulates that the owners, administrators and operators could be held criminally liable, it would create an accountability at the level of the organization before we even have to think about how to implement these sections. I think it will put some fear where fear should be implemented.