I think that one way to make this particular bill stronger is to make sure that it not only mandatorily trains new judges coming onto the bench but mandatorily trains all federal judges. I think the wording right now is that it's new judges, and it should be all judges.
I also think that we shouldn't limit ourselves to creating reforms just in relation to judges' training. If including training for police doesn't work for this bill, then let's have another bill ensuring that training for RCMP is done.
I also think that many legal minds are contemplating changes to the Criminal Code. Right now the way the Criminal Code is worded is that there's a requirement on the crown to prove that consent did not take place. It's very hard to prove that something didn't take place. I was at a conference recently where a number of legal minds were saying that perhaps we need to change or codify the rules in the Criminal Code around consent so that it's up to the defence to prove that consent was there. It's almost a reverse onus.
I think we should be thinking about a number of things. We should be thinking about provincial court judges. I know that's not your jurisdiction. In the 1980s a letter was sent by the federal attorney general to all the attorneys general in the country asking them to do more about spousal assault because women were being beaten by their husbands in their homes, and it's another form of silent violence that's going on across the country. After that happened, every attorney general in every province and territory in the country developed policies and programs and responses in relation to spousal assault.
Of course, we're not there yet, but I think that those of you who are at Canada's House in Ottawa shouldn't underestimate the power you have in influencing your provincial and territorial counterparts. I think when we all work together, we'll likely be more able to advance. Don't think about this particular bill as the only thing that's needed. I think we need to be working on a lot of fronts.