Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a member of my Mississauga Centre MP youth council.
Alice Zheng volunteers with the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted. When I first met Alice, she told me that in 2014, 80 organizations from several countries had come together to support the creation of International Wrongful Conviction Day.
Wrongful Conviction Day is designated to recognize the tremendous personal, social, and legal costs associated with wrongful criminal convictions. It is also devoted to educating the public on the causes, consequences, and complications associated with wrongful convictions.
Several jurisdictions have already proclaimed October 2 as Wrongful Conviction Day. Alice organized a petition that calls on Parliament to do the same. Our justice system occasionally makes mistakes. We need to acknowledge that. With Alice's energy and passion, I look forward to a day when we no longer have wrongful convictions of innocents.