Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'd like to thank all the witnesses for coming and giving what I think is really helpful evidence as we consider some of these important issues. And I want to particularly thank you, Mr. Kennedy, for coming, for your courage and honesty in bringing your personal experience to bear on this.
Yesterday I met with the new victims ombudswoman, Sue O'Sullivan, and we had a good discussion. She told me about the broad needs of victims. She said that victims need to be listened to; they need to be heard; they want to participate in the process, where appropriate; they want to feel as if they matter; and they need to be informed.
I think all Canadians were quite rightly shocked when they heard the Graham James story, and how he had systematically violated the trust and physical and sexual integrity of many young men under his charge, boys under his charge, really. I think a secondary shock was that we found out accidentally about Mr. James being pardoned. And I wanted to ask you first, Mr. Kennedy, were you aware of Mr. James being pardoned, or did it come as a surprise to you that he had received that pardon?