Public Safety Committee on May 9th, 2024

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Let's vote on it. Let's get to the matter at hand and vote on these matters. Instead of talking about the issues, around the issues and beside the issues, let's deal with the issues.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Thank you, Mr. McKinnon.

Mr. Genuis, please continue.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

My point having been made made clearly about the process that is before us, I will just proceed to make a couple of key points that reflect my views in relation to the letter that Mr. Danson wrote, which I have read, though it has been a few minutes since I finished reading it.

Chair, this raises issues about the transfer itself, about the information that was shared, but I think most foundationally it raises important questions about victims' rights, about what we owe to victims of crime.

Of course, recognizing universal human dignity, recognizing that every human being remains a human being regardless of their circumstances or their actions, our society justly recognizes that certain rights should be accorded to all people everywhere. That recognition of rights needs to guide the operation of the criminal justice system. There is, of course, a place within that for the recognition of the rights of the accused and, if convicted, the rights of offenders, but there has been for too long, I think, a lack of emphasis on the dignity, the experience and the rights of victims within that equation. Conservatives in government and in opposition have consistently sought to elevate that recognition of the rights of victims.

What do we owe to victims? Of course, foundationally, we owe to victims that we make every effort to prevent them from becoming victims in the first place and prevent others from being victimized. That is of foundational importance, but when someone has been a victim of crime, in addition we owe them the opportunity to have a voice in the process to be able to share what happened and to seek justice through the law. That pursuit of justice involves their having a voice, having information and having the ability to participate in conversations around the crime that happened to them or their family members.

I think that what we often see from this NDP-Liberal government is a real, casual dismissiveness towards the idea that victims have rights in this process. Of course, they have a right not to be victims in the first place, and they have a right to voice that information when they have been a victim. A victim doesn't have a right to determine the outcome of a proceeding, obviously, but they have a right to be a part of that proceeding. What happened in this case demonstrated a callous disregard for that role for victims to have a voice in proceedings.

Mr. Danson highlighted the lack of respect shown to victims, the lack of consideration for the impact on them associated with certain timelines and significant dates, the lack of an effort to provide information in a timely way, in a way that allowed them to share concerns they might have, and a lack of engagement of their counsel in a way that would have allowed that information to be conveyed to them in a timely and appropriate manner.

The fact that in the middle of a busy workday, a nondescript voicemail left with the lawyer looks like—

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Go ahead on a point of order, Mr. McKinnon.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I have second thoughts on my decision to support unanimous consent for Mr. Genuis' motion that is now on the floor. I would now give that consent.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Okay.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Is there unanimous consent for my motion to be adopted?

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I only note that I have reflected upon it, and I would, in my case, give this consent.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

We're not being asked for unanimous consent but only an opinion from Mr. McKinnon that he would now give unanimous consent.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

You have so much patience.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I did hear Mr. Bittle say no. He's not at the table, but I think he still has the rights of a member if he's not in the room.

Are we adopting it on unanimous consent, or is Mr. Bittle saying no?

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Let's make this official, Mr. Genuis. Are you asking for unanimous consent?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Is there unanimous consent for the motion to be adopted?

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Is there unanimous consent for the motion to be adopted?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Please continue, Mr. Genuis. You have about 30 seconds.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I have 30 seconds until what?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Go ahead, Mr. Bittle.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Let's vote vote on it. Mr. Genuis wants us to come to a vote. Let's vote.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

I think my position position was clear: I wanted it to be adopted.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Heath MacDonald]

Go ahead, Mr. Noormohamed.