Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.
My name is Bret McCann. I am the son of Lyle and Marie McCann of St. Albert, Alberta.
In July 2010 my parents left home in their motorhome on a trip to B.C. to visit my sister and her daughter. My dad was 78 and my mom was 77. They had been married for 58 years. They were kindred spirits and loved being together.
They never came home. Their burned-out motorhome was discovered near Edson, Alberta. Their SUV was later found abandoned. Despite extensive searches, their remains have never been found. Travis Vader was convicted of manslaughter in relation to their deaths. More than 16 years later, our family still does not know where our parents are.
That is why I am here to speak today about Bill C-236, the addressing the continuing victimization of homicide victims’ families act, which our family has come to know as McCann's law. The words “continuing victimization” are important. The crime happened more than 16 years ago, but some of its consequences continue today. I still think about what happened to my parents and what their final moments may have been like, after spending almost six decades together. Their disappearance has affected the way I react when members of my family travel. I want to know when they leave and when they stop: “Please message me when you arrive safely.”
Our children lost their grandparents. Our grandchildren lost the opportunity to meet or really know their great-grandparents. We have never been able to recover my parents' remains, bury them properly and give them the dignity of a final resting place. To me, that is continuing victimization.
There is another aspect of this legislation that I believe is very important. One of the fundamental objectives of our correctional system is rehabilitation, preparing an offender to eventually return safely to society. In my view, genuine rehabilitation requires taking responsibility for what you have done and acknowledging the harm you have caused. Travis Vader has never done that. He has never acknowledged responsibility for my parents' deaths. I find it difficult to understand how he can truly take responsibility for what happened while continuing to withhold the information that would allow us to find their remains. To me, these things are inseparable. Acknowledging what happened to my parents must include telling authorities what happened to their bodies and where their remains can be found.
In our victim impact statement at Vader's full parole hearing in April 2025, we described our overwhelming grief and loss and the enduring harm our family continues to suffer, particularly from not knowing the final resting place of our parents. The Parole Board acknowledged the suffering in its decision to deny parole.
Bill C-236 recognizes that deliberately withholding information about the location of a victim's remains causes continuing harm and that this conduct should be relevant to decisions about sentencing and parole. Canada would not be alone in recognizing this principle. As Dane said, the U.K. has enacted legislation commonly known as Helen's law, and several Australian states have established “no body, no parole” laws. The details differ, but the principle is similar: Refusing to assist in locating a victim's remains must have consequences.
Bill C-236 provides a Canadian approach. It cannot force an offender to speak or guarantee that a family will recover their loved one's remains, but it can ensure that deliberately withholding that information has consequences within our justice system.
This legislation is not about revenge. Nothing Parliament does can bring my parents back, but Parliament can recognize that when someone continues to withhold information that could allow a family to recover their loved one's remains, the harm caused by that decision continues on and on.
There are other Canadian families living with this same terrible uncertainty. There are different crimes, different circumstances and different offenders, but there's the same question: Where are our loved ones? Our family has been asking that question for more than 16 years. We still hope that one day we will be able to bring my parents, Lyle and Marie, home, and give them the dignity they deserve. Until that day comes, we believe our justice system should recognize the continuing consequences of withholding the information that could make this possible.
Thank you. I welcome your questions.