Evidence of meeting #55 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was victims.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Norbourg Victim, As an Individual
I think I already answered that. I don't have much to say about it.
Conservative
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
I'll pick up with the victims.
With regard to the current system, I'd like to know whether any of you have been helped. Have you received compensation through the criminal system? Were there restitution orders?
They are nodding no.
Has anybody here received anything?
Everybody is nodding no.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
You did. Was it through the civil system or through the criminal system?
Norbourg Victim, As an Individual
It was the AMF. We never went to court, because they didn't want to.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Okay, that's fine. That's provincial in Quebec.
Did you receive any restitution...? Mr. Gravel, in response to one of the questions, you said you were concerned that the fraudster would leave Canada when he's released and live on your money. Is that correct?
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Would you not agree with me that with regard to helping victims it would have been a little better if we were here today focusing on how to help victims, requiring criminals to pay back the money before they get out of prison or something along those lines?
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Absolutely, and I agree with that. We should be here today trying to help victims, not just pretending that the government is being tough.
The problem is to make sure that the serious fraudsters are kept in prison or pay back the victims, something like that. It is not simply to pretend that everybody under these sentences is a non-violent person to be kept incarcerated.
Ms. Naltchayan, I'm going to say the same thing that I said with respect to Mr. Gravel. You have tax problems, don't you?
Liberal
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Of course they are not your fault. We don't think they are your fault.
I wish we were here today discussing a bill that would alleviate your tax problems. Let the government bring a bill forward that will help victims.
As an Individual
I have a question. Vincent Lacroix took $90 million, and now we're here debating. But where is the money? How come nobody is asking where the money is? We're talking about inside and outside, but where is the money? Where is the money?
As an Individual
How come we don't have that power, as a government, to seize that money somewhere? We sued as a civil suit. He pleaded guilty, but there is no money, because he put it in somebody else's name, and nobody can do anything.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Exactly. That is the point that was raised almost two hours ago when I said that in the Liberal Party conference back in January 2010, we put forward ideas with respect to enforcement, investigation, restitution, tax relief, and various other measures designed to help victims. But none of our ideas has been picked up by the government. Rather, we're here today dealing with something that has no capacity to help any of you. It won't matter at all, and you agree with that.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
I want to back up the notion that talk is cheap. They have had an opportunity at every step of the way to present a private member's bill on any of the things they have mentioned and they haven't said word one about it.
Conservative
