Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to start by thanking all of the participants today for their courage in coming forward and sharing an extremely difficult chapter in their lives. You are all to be commended for having the strength to come forward and advocate not only on your and your family's behalf, but on behalf of all the victims who exist in Canada. Thank you so much.
Ms. Andrews, I listened very carefully to your words. We had an opportunity to speak prior to your attendance today. I want to assure you that your voice has been heard very loudly at this committee, that your voice will be heard nationally and that your voice will be shared with the Government of Canada.
I looked at some of the material that we talked about in preparation, and I want to comment briefly on the decision that the judge made in the case in which you were a victim, from just over a year ago. Her closing statement to the offender was directed to you: “I'm sure, going forward, your voice will have great impact.” What a foreshadowing of where you are today.
I really want to thank you for the resiliency and the strength that you are showing to advocate in an area that is in such desperate need of reform, and I want to ask you, specifically, a couple of questions. I basically have a minute.
You talk about a lack of trust. You talk about a lack of communication. You talk about a lack of participation in the process. All of these issues are enshrined in the current version of the Victims Bill of Rights, but clearly you did not have that experience.
Can you be more specific as to how we can ensure that victims like you, other victims who come before the courts, victims from marginalized communities and victims whose first language is not English can receive just treatment by all justice participants?