Good afternoon. My name is Jaymie-Lyne Hancock, and I'm the national president of MADD Canada. With me today is Steve Sullivan, our director of victim services.
I will be making the opening remarks, and Steve will assist in answering questions.
On behalf of MADD Canada, our volunteers and members, and the victims and survivors of impaired driving, whom we support, thank you for this opportunity to address the committee on its important work regarding the government's obligation to victims of crime.
MADD Canada is a charitable organization, with a mission to stop impaired driving and to support victims of this violent crime. Every year, hundreds of Canadians are killed and thousands are injured in impairment-related crashes. For every one of those crashes, family, friends and communities are deeply and permanently affected.
My family knows that impact all too well. On August 21, 2014, my brother D.J. was leaving a tryout for a Junior A hockey team when he was hit head-on by an impaired driver. Our parents were at the tryout, and they were on the road just a few minutes behind D.J. They came upon the crash scene and found their son pinned inside his car. D.J. died an hour later. He was still trapped inside his car, with my parents paying witness to it all. Every day since, we have felt the grief and heartbreak of losing D.J. in such a senseless way. It did not have to happen.
MADD Canada is the only national anti-impaired driving organization that provides direct support to victims and survivors. We host online monthly support groups. We hold an annual conference for victims and survivors. We provide important opportunities for people to memorialize their loved ones, through monuments, online tributes and memorial road signs.
While these hearings are focused on the federal government, it needs to be recognized that most services and rights fall under the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories. It is important that this committee understands that victims and survivors of impaired driving are often not afforded the same level of services that victims of other violent crimes are. In fact, in some jurisdictions, impaired driving is considered a tragic circumstance, and victims and survivors of impaired-driving crashes may be excluded from the mandates of government-funded victim services and programs.
Many of those who come to MADD Canada were not offered services. They were told that there was not much victim services could do, or that they did not meet the parameters of programs. This is especially true for individuals who are injured in crashes. In 2021, MADD Canada held virtual round tables to discuss victims' rights, and the most consistent thing we heard about was on the lack of services, or the lack of helpful services.
We rarely talk about the cost to victims when they exercise their rights. Preparing a victim impact statement can be a painful and difficult process. Attending many court or parole hearings can revictimize people. This is not to suggest that we should limit rights, but we must recognize that the granting of rights is only half of our responsibility. Providing support is equally, if not more, important.
In terms of direct services, the federal government is limited to the corrections and parole systems and some direct funding programs. Despite the limited role, we believe the federal government can do more to strengthen federal legislation and support services. The federal victims fund is not accepting unsolicited applications for funding. We tried to apply for support for our 2022 National Conference for Victims of Impaired Driving, which we have done in the past, but we were told new applications were not being accepted. This was before the beginning of this fiscal year.
We are asking the committee to make a recommendation that the federal government increase the financial support available through this fund, so non-government services like ours can access assistance to provide desperately needed services. Our conference is unlike anything else in the country. We bring 250 victims and survivors from across the country together for a weekend of reflection, keynote speakers and networking. The impact and importance of this conference is not something I can adequately put into words with such limited time. I can only tell you that my parents and I were so grateful that we experienced this conference after D.J.'s death. It was an incredible help and comfort to us.
We believe that federal legislation, including the Criminal Code, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights can be strengthened to consider the needs and concerns of victims and survivors. For example, more consideration should be given to the mental health of victims and survivors when offenders are released back into the same community. Additionally, the Criminal Code should be amended to ensure that victims and survivors receive advance notice of a plea bargain and to require judges to acknowledge victim impact statements in their sentencing decisions.
We look forward to participating in the review of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. We note that the legislation passed in 2015 called for the review to take place within five years, and we are well past that time frame.
We look forward to answering any questions you may have for us.
Thank you.