—yes—we've heard some I think compelling testimony from both victims and others about the difficulties that families of victims, or the victims themselves in some cases, would have in attending parole hearings. Sometimes the person is incarcerated in another province, so it's sometimes very difficult to attend.
Now, what I see here but I don't see anywhere else—I may, therefore, be proposing an amendment—is that they can observe the hearing by any means “appropriate”. I accept that. I think that's an improvement. I think we all know the sense of that, and it won't be misunderstood.
However, it's part of a proposed subsection that says, “If the Board or its designate decides under subsection (5.1) to not permit a victim or a member of his or her family to attend a hearing”. So we're only really expanding this, if we amend this section, for those who have been denied permission to attend. We're not really giving an option to those who would have trouble travelling or who would perhaps not wish to face the offender in that parole hearing. This amendment doesn't really provide the option of these other means other than to those who have been denied the right to appear at the hearing.
I guess I'm really asking the officials if I'm correct in my interpretation, and if I am, I'd like to propose an amendment to this section.