Government of Canada launches consultations on Victims Bill of Rights

Consultations open to the public will be hosted on-line until June 30, 2013

Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo is inviting all constituents to have their say in the creation of a Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.

“Our government is committed to standing up for victims of crime and ensuring that victims have a more effective voice in the criminal justice system,” said McLeod. “These consultations are critical to identifying and recognizing how to better entrench the rights of victims into a single law at the federal level.”

These consultations follow the Government’s commitment in February to enhance the rights of victims of crime by bringing forward legislation to implement a Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.

This legislation builds on our Government’s record of achievements in advancing the interests for victims of crime by entrenching their rights into a single law at the federal level.

These achievements include:

• The establishment of the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime;

• The creation of the Federal Victims Strategy, with more than $90 million allocated since 2007 for projects and services that help give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system;

• The allocation of more than $10 million for new or enhanced Child Advocacy Centers since 2010 to address the needs of child and youth victims of crime;

• The introduction of legislation to double the victims’ surcharge and make it mandatory; and the elimination of the faint-hope clause.

“These consultations offer a meaningful opportunity to provide input on how the criminal justice system should respond to victims,” stated McLeod.

Consultations open to the public will be hosted on-line until June 30, 2013. Those interested in participating can visit the Department of Justice’s website  www.justice.gc.ca

 

Barriere Star Journal