Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights

Comité permanent de la justice et des droits de la personne

For immediate release

Ottawa, December 07, 2022 - Today, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights presented a unanimous report to the House of Commons entitled Improving Support for Victims of Crime.

Victims of crime require adapted services and support particular to them. Despite the adoption of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights in 2015 and the implementation of various initiatives to assist victims, better support for victims is urgently needed.

The committee held nine meetings, during which it heard from more than 30 witnesses. Their testimony forms the basis for the 13 recommendations in the report that propose solutions to improve support for victims of crime across the country.

While recognizing that justice is a shared jurisdiction between the federal and provincial governments, the committee acknowledges the proactive role that the federal government can play in better supporting victims and the importance of the federal government working closely with its provincial and territorial counterparts, as well as community organizations and victims, to agree on best practices and minimum standards across the country for victims of crime, including the level of support and services available to them. The committee makes recommendations to improve services to victims, their right to information, their right to participate, their right to restitution and their right to protection, especially with respect to publication bans.

“It is with great pride that I tabled a unanimous report in the House of Commons earlier today that is the result of significant cooperation among all members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Our report is based on our consultations with various stakeholders to find solutions to improve support for victims of crime, and we believe that implementing the recommendations in this report will achieve this goal”, stated the Chair of the Committee, M.P. Randeep Sarai.

The Honorable Rob Moore, M.P. and Vice-Chair highlighted: “Over the course of this study we heard poignant testimony from many victims of crime who showed courage and resilience in telling their stories to improve the situation for victims across Canada. We have heard them. Victim services must be improved, information must be proactively provided to victims, assistance must be provided to victims to enforce restitution orders, and their involvement in the criminal justice system, including in parole hearings, must be strengthened. This is what our recommendations are all about.”

Lastly, Vice-Chair Rhéal Éloi Fortin, M.P. underlined: “Our report highlights the need to improve support for victims of crime. As justice is a shared jurisdiction, the federal government must work with provincial governments to find solutions to current problems and to agree on minimum standards and best practices so that victims are able to exercise their rights more effectively, increase their participation in our justice system and access the services they need, including mental health services.”