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Results: 76 - 90 of 1662
Mark Flynn
View Mark Flynn Profile
Mark Flynn
2021-05-12 18:25
Mr. Chair, from an RCMP perspective I would say mental illness is a very significant element. If you look at the COVID situation we're in right now, you see there is a lot of reporting about the increased mental illness that is being caused by the isolation that's in place. As an opinion, I would say there is likely a connection between some of the increases that we're seeing as well as the movement to align.
In some of our police investigations.... In fact we've had one that's under way right now. I won't get into too many details of it, but I'll say that it's actually an individual who is currently in a mental institution who is under investigation, and we've already intervened with that individual. I can't think of a better example than that to demonstrate the connectivity between this issue and mental illness.
View John McKay Profile
Lib. (ON)
I'll just direct that question to Mr. Hahlweg as well.
CSIS gets in before the police get in, shall we say? It is an investigation. It's not evidence.
I'm sure you've made some observations about mental illness and some of these individuals. I'm just curious as to what your thoughts are.
Timothy Hahlweg
View Timothy Hahlweg Profile
Timothy Hahlweg
2021-05-12 18:26
Like our RCMP colleagues, we have absolutely seen more of this. We have become very alive to some of the mental health indicators that allow us to make better assessments at the front end in terms of what we can or should be doing from an investigative perspective.
A lot of our work involves dealing with community members who might be better served to pre-emptively deal with individuals, rather than provoking investigative authorities from CSIS.
View Lenore Zann Profile
Lib. (NS)
Thank you.
I'd also like to ask about wellness checks, as there have been a number of cases in which the RCMP have been called to go for a wellness check, and it has not ended well for the person.
I know you said that oftentimes it's the bad news stories that hit the media, but these are definitely upsetting stories. I know that local police officers here in Nova Scotia have said that they prefer not to go to wellness checks. They believe people who have more training in wellness and mental health issues should be going to these calls.
What is your response to that, and what recommendations can you make?
Jeff Preston
View Jeff Preston Profile
Jeff Preston
2021-05-11 12:05
I'll let Staff Sergeant How speak in a moment.
I can speak for the officers around here. We go to an awful lot of wellness checks. I agree that it would be very nice to have a mental health worker come along with us, but unfortunately, in a lot of the rural communities that we police, we are everything for everyone. We are the mental health officer. We are, in some cases, the nurse and everything else. At three o'clock in the morning, there is no one else to call, so we are de facto it.
We do have a lot of training in this regard and we can go and deal with those situations, but I would rather not have to if I didn't have to.
Lee Windsor
View Lee Windsor Profile
Lee Windsor
2021-05-10 16:17
I believe it to be one of the most important issues on the table here. We know that moral injury is a component of mental wellness. I'm not sure if you've been introduced to that term with regard to it being a component of post-traumatic stress injury or disorder or operational stress injuries.
Certainly, we have seen it be an aggravating factor in recent suicide cases for veterans who have served in Afghanistan, many of whom have questions about their service there and whether or not it.... Given that the entire world is now looking with interest to determine the outcome of that mission, in the absence of government recognition of that service in Afghanistan, veterans are left to their own devices to fall back on media statements that it was a waste and a failure. Therefore, if you pulled the trigger and killed someone, or if you lost a fellow soldier in combat or suffered an injury yourself, posing the question to yourself as to whether it may not have been worth it in the first instance is a powerful burden to put on someone.
That's Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a case where there has been some degree of public recognition, even if it's grassroots recognition from the people of Canada, as well as the government, at least in the early years of the war. But when I mention the case of injury to the soul, I think mainly about those veterans who served in the 1990s, my own generation, and not just from personal bias but from an awareness that at the end of the Cold War, we saw a tremendous spike in global conflict and a tremendous ratcheting up of the level of violence. I'm sure Sean can attest to this too, from the look of the ribbons he's wearing on his chest, that peacekeeping became peacemaking. I'm sure you're familiar with this phenomenon. We see too the spike in mental illness and mental injuries and claims in Veterans Affairs as a result of the massive growth in exposure to combat trauma in Somalia, in the former Yugoslavia, in Cambodia and of course in Rwanda.
Marie-Chantal Girard
View Marie-Chantal Girard Profile
Marie-Chantal Girard
2021-05-10 15:33
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
In the spirit of reconciliation, I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are speaking to you today from the traditional unceded territories.
My name is Marie-Chantal Girard, and I am the assistant deputy minister of the pensions and benefits sector. I am joined by Tolga Yalkin, assistant deputy minister of workplace policies and programs at the Treasury Board Secretariat.
In mid-March, many of the nearly 300,000 federal public servants began working from home virtually overnight.
Many continued their day-to-day tasks, delivering information, programs and services to Canadians.
A number of them were also asked to take on new work to support the government's response to the pandemic, including implementing public health preparedness and response measures, supports for citizens and businesses impacted by the crisis, and much more.
For example, more than a thousand federal public servants volunteered to staff the call centre for the Canadian emergency relief benefit.
Many other public servants are continuing to play an enabling role in supporting the delivery of government programs and services, including building up and maintaining a reliable information technology infrastructure to support remote work.
At the Treasury Board Secretariat, officials continue to support the government's response to the pandemic. They are managing the supply cycle of government planning and reporting, providing guidance to deputy heads for the management of human resources, and providing policy directions to departments in a whole range of other areas.
My colleague and I are here to answer your questions related to the human resources management of the public service during the pandemic.
The office of the chief human resources officer has been providing guidance to deputy heads on overall human resources management throughout the pandemic. In doing so, we continue to be guided by the advice of public health authorities, including the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada's public service occupational health program, on all issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccination.
Like all Canadians, the vast majority of federal employees have already been or will be vaccinated according to the vaccination program in the province or territory in which they reside.
In light of the prevailing public health guidance, public service employees will largely continue to work remotely for the foreseeable future. For employees in key federal workplaces, the Government of Canada is expanding the use of rapid tests for screening purposes. Those in workplaces where there is a higher risk of exposure will be offered rapid tests on a voluntary basis, administered by trained personnel.
Within the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, there is an acknowledgement that, beyond the immediate physical health risks posed by the global pandemic, there are, and will continue to be, both short- and long-term psychological impacts for employees in the public sector, just as we are seeing in the broader Canadian society.
Steps continue to be taken, and active communications through a number of avenues are ensured so that public servants are aware of the supports available to them. These include enhanced access to mental health support, tools and guidance, and information and training sessions to help them navigate the challenges they face.
Temporary changes were made to the federal public service health care plan, expanding the list of covered service providers to include psychotherapists and social workers, and removing the requirement for a prescription for required paramedical services or extending the validity of the current prescription.
Temporary measures were also put in place to facilitate more flexible and alternative work arrangements and to support employees who are unable to work remotely. In addition, the COVID-19 and mental health virtual resource hub was launched. It provides free and accessible resources, supports and tools for employees, and is open to all Canadians.
While we continue to prioritize mental health and apply a mental health lens to much of what is done, employees face different mental health issues in their day-to-day environment. The goal is to ensure everyone finds the support they need.
The pandemic has not impacted all Canadians equally. In the federal public service, diversity, accessibility and inclusion are a priority, and much work remains to be done.
At the Treasury Board Secretariat, a number of actions have been taken over the past year to support departmental efforts in this area: first, the publication of new disaggregated workforce data and, last month, the launch of a new online interactive data visualization tool; second, the creation of the centre on diversity and inclusion in the office of the chief human resources officer, which leads new and innovative initiatives, does recruitment and talent management, and coordinates and co-develops solutions with stakeholders; third, the launch of the federal speaker's forum on diversity and inclusion to provide a platform for diverse public servants to share their lived experience; and finally, the implementation of the mentorship plus program, which pairs employees from diverse backgrounds with executive mentors and sponsors.
Public servants provide important programs and services to Canadians, and we are continually looking at ways to improve supports and resources available to them.
As has been the case thus far, any guidance on return to work sites will be guided by science, and developed in collaboration with deputy heads and in consultation with bargaining agents. We will, of course, adjust as the science evolves.
With that, we would be happy to answer questions members may have.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Tolga Yalkin
View Tolga Yalkin Profile
Tolga Yalkin
2021-05-10 15:52
Mr. Chair, I'd be happy to take that question.
There are, obviously, a number of different ways in which Treasury Board Secretariat has supported deputy heads who have the authority and are accountable for the administration of their organizations.
For example, on the issue of equipment, a number of questions were raised early in the pandemic as to how and under what circumstances deputy heads should be considering the elaboration of policies for equipping their public servants in a pandemic. Treasury Board Secretariat provided guidance, I believe in April of last year, on equipping employees. It helped to establish consistent and uniform norms that the departments could then apply, depending on their own context.
A series of guidance has been provided on the duty to accommodate. I believe Madam Girard raised that in her remarks. That was key to ensuring that in a remote working context, we are are abiding by our commitments under the Canadian Human Rights Act to ensure that employees who need reasonable accommodations are adequately accommodated.
A whole host of guidance has been provided on mental health, including a mental health hub that has been developed for employees. I believe it has garnered over 300,000 unique page views, which I think is a testament to the importance of that guidance.
Mr. Chair, I could go on, but perhaps I'll stop there. I'm happy to answer any additional questions.
Debi Daviau
View Debi Daviau Profile
Debi Daviau
2021-05-10 16:41
Thank you very much.
Good afternoon. My name is Debi Daviau, and I am president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, or PIPSC, the union that represents some 60,000 mainly federal public service professionals across Canada.
I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to present our views on this exceptionally important issue. I would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have following my presentation.
I would first like to highlight how tens of thousands of dedicated public servants have continued to faithfully serve Canadians since the start of the pandemic. For example, PIPSC members built the systems to deliver the financial support programs desperately needed by their fellow Canadians. They helped thousands of stranded Canadians to return home. Our members worked miracles to get personal protective equipment to those who needed it. We built the technical infrastructure to allow other public servants to continue their work from the safety of their homes. Our health care professionals took to the front lines, and our scientists pivoted to focus on fighting COVID-19.
Right now a small percentage of our members still remain in their regular workplaces. They provide critical services, for example, health care in prisons and in remote communities, meteorological forecasting and IT support. Overall, though, approximately 90% of our members are currently working from their home offices.
In general terms, we are reasonably satisfied with how the government has handled the crisis's impact on its employees. Our representatives at all levels, from steward to me as president, have been in regular and frequent contact with their ministerial or departmental counterparts to identify specific concerns and fix specific problems.
There have been no layoffs of our members, and in some cases we've been able to come to an agreement with management to ensure the organization's continued operations and viability until the crisis is behind us for good.
I can't pretend there haven't been issues with individual departments or even local managers misinterpreting or simply ignoring Treasury Board directives. Yes, there have been a number of inconsistencies across Canada when it comes to implementing safety protocols and around our members working from home, but overall, I'll give the government a passing grade so far.
At this point, the main concern is one of adapting to the new work reality and to what the “new normal” will be like for the public service. It's about giving employees the choice to work at home or in an office, whether a satellite location or their regular workplace.
This means ensuring proper employer support for home offices and telework, making sure employees working from home have the equipment they need to do their job. For those who can't or don't want telework, it means ensuring that any future Government of Canada workplaces are designed with safety and health considerations at the forefront.
Just as important, it also means a big change in the public service work culture. It's no secret that many managers still don't trust their employees to work remotely, despite their demonstrated success in continuing to serve Canadians for the past year and a half. This will require a great deal of management training.
Also, because of the incredibly negative impact the pandemic has had on people's mental health and their work-life balance, the employer must develop new tools for ensuring the wellness of public service employees.
That's our overall reaction to the government's approach on COVID and its effects on employees to date. However, I also have some very specific points that I'd like to bring to the committee's attention today.
They are related to identifying which existing collective agreement provisions need to be modified or tweaked to ensure that public service managers have the ability to be flexible with employees while still respecting our contracts.
Our first concern on that front is about leave with pay, also known as code 699, which is getting lots of airtime today.
The vast majority of federal public servants have been able to work through this crisis without requiring extra leave. However, those who need more flexibility because of caregiving duties, to deal with health risks or who cannot perform their tasks at home, can use code 699 to apply for their leave.
At the beginning of the pandemic, there was more use of code 699 than now, because many federal public servants didn't have access to the tools to do their jobs from home at the time. I know that historically public servants are many commentators' preferred targets, but despite what you may have heard, to date the use of code 699 has in fact been minimal—a drop in the bucket, so to speak. When it's needed, it's needed. It's that simple.
It's also a fact that women, caregivers and those with health risks need access to code 699 leave to cope with the pandemic. It's broadly recognized that the burden of child care and financial repercussions in the COVID era has disproportionately fallen on women, but the Treasury Board proceeded, even after conducting a gender-based analysis and over the objections of bargaining agents, to make changes to code 699 that introduced a distinction between health issues and caregiving duties. The net result is that it's now more difficult for our members to access 699.
We find this so wrong that we have written to the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, urging them to reverse this decision. We have also filed policy grievances on this issue, as have other bargaining agents.
Our second concern is about the duty to accommodate. At this point, it's very clear that the employer's duty to accommodate extends beyond the traditional workplace to include remote work and telework. We need to determine the most appropriate and reasonable accommodation in individual cases. This could include a combination of existing provisions augmented by temporary measures. Clear and concise guidelines on this are needed right away.
Our third concern revolves around hours of work provisions. They must be adapted in the future to reflect the high reliance on remote work, both during the pandemic and in the foreseeable future.
Before I conclude my remarks, I want to emphasize how critical it is for the Treasury Board and individual departments and agencies to continue to consult and work closely with bargaining agents to ensure that all these points are being addressed. The government's response to the pandemic and its treatment of federal workers has been commendable so far. Let's not change that now.
I'd like to thank you for your time. I would be pleased to answer your questions, as would my senior adviser, Emily Watkins.
View Gudie Hutchings Profile
Lib. (NL)
Thank you to both of the witnesses for being here for this incredible conversation.
I'm from Newfoundland and Labrador, and I think it was 2018 that my province recognized midwifery. I come from a very rural riding, as my colleagues hear me say all the time. We're promoting mental health, telehealth and rural health, but you can't really deliver a baby over the Internet, so the uptake and the interest are incredible.
I have a story. I have a nephew and his wife who live probably two hours from any major hospital, and when she was due—and again she was a safe pregnancy—they had to move into a community where she was able to be closer to a hospital.
How do you think midwifery services contribute to women's mental health throughout their pregnancy and delivery? I know that my niece-in-law was totally stressed that they had to pack up and move and go to a place. They were looking for a midwife in the area where they live, but one wasn't available at that time.
I'd love to have your thoughts on that.
Lisa Morgan
View Lisa Morgan Profile
Lisa Morgan
2021-05-06 11:20
Certainly that is our dream. That's what the Canadian Association of Midwives would say: a midwife in every community. We know we're most successful when we train people from the community to return to the community and when we remove people from community for as little time as possible, when clinical training can be done within the community that person plans to serve.
You mentioned one aspect, having that caregiver close by for checkups, visits or support, but it's also for the connections. It's called continuity of care when you develop a relationship with the person you're caring for. We are on a pager 24-7, and those calls, those mental health concerns, those check-ins that you can do with your midwife if you're not well.... We pay really particular attention postpartum. We care for the mother-baby diet until six weeks postpartum. We're talking to the family about postpartum depression. We're talking to that person about reaching out to us and about the supports that we can help with.
We also know that some of that mental health stuff around pregnancy and postpartum is around emergencies, processing and lack of information, so we really try to do a good job with debriefing the birth, why what happened happened and what questions we could answer. We also know that goes a long way in terms of reconciling what happened and what needed to happen, because we have the evidence to say that good births are not really about that unmedicated normal vaginal birth that goes straightforward. It's about that person feeling involved in the decision-making. There are good Caesarian sections. You just have to understand the reasons, have your questions answered and have that relationship and that trust.
When we talk about mental health, I think that goes a long way.
View Patty Hajdu Profile
Lib. (ON)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for the invitation to return to committee.
As you mentioned, I'm joined today by officials from Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, CFIA and CIHR. We are here to update you on the main estimates for the health portfolio.
We know, as we continue to respond to COVID-19, that some areas in Canada have seen an increase in cases, some areas in Canada have had to apply additional public health measures and some areas in Canada have seen increased hospitalizations. We remain focused on one goal, and that's to help Canadians through COVID-19—to help provinces and territories reduce transmission in communities, to decrease the number of people getting sick, and of course to decrease the number of people ending up in hospitals and, sadly, passing away as a result of COVID-19.
We know that this is a lot of work on behalf of all levels of government, and indeed not just government but community organizations, unions, employers and everyone working together in a team Canada approach. The most important things for us to remain focused on now are to reduce community transmission, increase access to vaccination and make sure that we stay focused on increasing vaccine uptake. We need to make sure the vaccines are available to people in a variety of different ways so that they can access them when it's their turn.
I have to say that we've been so impressed by Canadians' desire to be vaccinated and their willingness to step up when it is indeed their turn. As we can see, as more vaccines have been arriving in Canada week over week, we are now a leading G20 country, the second in the G20 in terms of administering the first dose. That's good news, Mr. Chair, because we know that vaccinations save lives and reduce the spread in communities, along with the other things that we know all too well.
In terms of actual hard numbers, that means nearly 13 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. I have good news, and it's reflected in case rates and death rates. Eighty per cent of those aged 70 to 79 and 86% of those aged 80 and over have received vaccination. I can tell you that there is a sense of relief, especially among people in those age groups who have felt so worried and so scared, and of course among the people who love them, that they are protected as provinces and territories work together to reduce transmission in communities.
Of course, as all of you in HESA know, Canada is focused on a population health approach to vaccination. What does that mean? It means using vaccination as a powerful tool to reduce cases in communities and to stop people from getting sick and dying.
We have two overarching goals: to stop the spread and to save lives. Because of this strategy, there are more Canadians protected now than a month ago. We are looking forward to a very busy month of May. This month alone, millions of doses will arrive in the country and go directly into arms through the strong partnership with provinces, territories, local public health officials and other really important partners like pharmacists and family physicians.
While vaccination programs are scaling up, we have to continue to be cautious and vigilant about following local public health guidance. That does mean the things that we know help prevent the spread of the virus. As we have learned, that means physical distancing; the wearing of masks, especially in crowded and indoor settings; being mindful of how and where people gather; really thinking of each other during this time; and continuing to pull together as Canadians to make sure that the entire community remains safe. If there's something I've learned, Mr. Chair—or been reminded of, I think is more appropriate—it's the importance of collective action to fight a virus like this. It's that we cannot do this alone, that communities can't do this alone, that people can't do this alone, but that together we can actually get a lot further.
Today we will share the health portfolio's spending plans for the months ahead.
As you know, budget 2021 proposes significant investments in a number of health priorities, from increasing research and biomanufacturing to improving long-term care and continuing our investments—significant investments, I would say—in mental health and substance use supports.
These investments will help us finish the fight against COVID-19 and will help Canadians to see, in a healthier and more equitable way, a healthier future in their communities.
Maintaining Canadians' health and safety continues to be my priority—indeed, all of our agencies' priority—in the months to come. The main estimates I'm presenting today reflect this, and they outline the work we are doing to achieve these goals.
Over the next year, Health Canada will work with the provinces and territories to help improve health systems for all Canadians. This work includes measures to strengthen the health care sector through investments in long-term care and supportive care settings. We will also address mental health and problematic substance use through continued investments in home and community care and in mental health and addiction services, including specific investments to help Canadians during COVID-19.
I want to give a particular thank you to the many organizations that work with people who are struggling with a variety of mental health issues and a variety of problematic substance use issues. These community organizations and providers have been there for Canadians during this dreadful time, and their work is tremendously valuable to all of us.
Our world-class regulators will continue their work to get Canadians the medicines, vaccines and medical devices they need. That work includes creating a critical drug reserve to assist with COVID-19 treatments.
For the past year, the Public Health Agency of Canada has been focused on the pandemic response. Whether it's on vaccines, on research or on specific COVID-19 supports, the agency has been working day and night—all of the folks in the agency have been working day and night—to protect Canadians. This work will continue well beyond the pandemic.
The safety of our food supply is also always a priority in a pandemic, and of course beyond. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency protects Canadians from food safety risks, supports our food supply chain and safeguards the health and safety of people working in the food manufacturing and distribution industries. I want to thank all of the workers at CFIA for their ongoing work, oftentimes in very challenging situations, as we know. In meat packing plants, where there have been significant challenges to prevent the spread of COVID, I know that inspection agents and many other professionals have been working to make those workplaces safer and to keep food safe for Canadians.
After a year of living with COVID-19, the importance of investing in health and medical research, if it wasn't evident before, is now, Mr. Chair. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is supporting Canadian research and researchers, and our investments will make sure that they have a strong and central role in ensuring that science returns to a place of prominence in government policy-making.
I am so relieved, Mr. Chair, that our government made those investments in 2015, after a decade of attack on scientists and researchers. We made those investments in 2015, and they turned out to be critical. We're going to continue to strengthen Canadian research through the CIHR, through the researcher community that they support, to make sure that we have access to the best evidence and the best science on a range of health issues.
Mr. Chair, my priority is Canadians' health and safety. As we face this wave of the virus, as we see the finish line, we know there's more work to do. The plans I'm talking about show what we have to do, how we have to invest and how we have to continue to pull together. I know that Canadians will get through this, but we have to work together to get through it so that we can save lives, stop the spread and protect Canadians' health throughout COVID-19 and beyond.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I look forward to your questions.
Mark Farrant
View Mark Farrant Profile
Mark Farrant
2021-04-27 12:44
Thank you.
Honourable Chair, vice-chairs, and members of the justice and human rights committee, thank you for the invitation to appear before you today as part of your important study on COVID-19 and its impact on the judicial system.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every industry and sector like nothing in our history, and our courts and justice system are no exception. Prior to the crisis our courts were already stressed with enormous backlogs and delays in many provinces and territories; the closure of courthouses across the country as part of the emergency public health measures has compounded the problem further, delaying trials and due process.
Once regular court operations resume, there will be an unprecedented requirement to begin empanelling juries across the country. While responding to a summons is mandatory, many Canadians will be very unwilling or unable to participate, for very real reasons.
During the first wave of the pandemic, the Canadian Juries Commission conducted a national opinion poll and found that Canadians were more willing to donate blood or volunteer for a community organization than to serve on a jury when emergency measures lift. Similarly, Canadians rated jury duty lower in terms of civic importance than donating blood or volunteering within the community. These opinions are a direct result of decades of underinvestment in jury duty across the country and of not keeping pace with the modern world and its challenges.
As the crisis comes to an end, many Canadians will be unwilling or unable to respond to a jury summons, yet responding will be expected of them. Transitioning out of the period of unemployment, layoffs and tenuous employment, for many Canadians the focus will now be on their jobs, families and availability for work. Many will be experiencing financial hardships not seen in decades and will still have family care commitments that will not have expired and may have been exacerbated by COVID-19 health issues. Canadian workplaces will be less willing and sympathetic towards supporting employees during time spent in court, given their own economic fragility and desire to revitalize operations. This will put mounting pressure on employees to respect their employers more than their summons.
Alarming data has emerged during the pandemic that highlights the significant worsening of Canadians' mental health. It has raised concerns among health care professionals of a looming echo mental health crisis. Statistics Canada has observed Canadians reporting increases in anxiety, depression and PTSD, as well as alarming increases in suicidal ideation as a result of the pandemic. Reported substance abuse and alcohol consumption among Canadians has increased across the pandemic. All reported figures are higher among vulnerable communities, those with existing mental illness, the indigenous community, the LGBTQ community and, sadly, among our young adults.
In 2017, I was very pleased to appear before this committee as part of its groundbreaking study on jury duty mental health and the publication of its landmark report, “Improving Support for Jurors in Canada”, in 2018. The 11 recommendations contained in that report stand today. They include providing more information to prospective jurors about jury duty, providing psychological support to jurors, increasing daily jury pay to $120 per day and federal funding to the provinces and territories to implement the findings of that report.
It is now almost three years since the publication of this report, and sadly, very little has been done since to see these recommendations universally adopted.
The Canadian Juries Commission was born out of those recommendations to represent and support Canadians on jury duty and in coroners' inquests and to provide programs directly to jurors to assist them in their roles, working with the provinces and territories and the judiciary to improve jury duty.
The recent federal budget detailed significant investments in mental health to meet the challenges of COVID-19, vital investments to combat systemic racism and improve access to justice across Canada, and also investments to repair our economy and grow back post-pandemic. These investments must be met with similar investments in jury duty, which is the last remaining mandatory civic duty in our democracy. This current crisis will only serve to compound and deepen foundational concerns for jury duty identified by this committee and the Canadian Juries Commission.
Once selected, jurors are identified as judges of the facts and are exposed to the same graphic and disturbing evidence as others in the court as part of their role. However, unlike the judge, legal counsel, court staff, police and first responders, they are not afforded access to new and evolving evidence-based treatments to assist them after the verdict is delivered. Jurors are the group in the court most vulnerable to developing mental ill health, as jury duty is not a vocation, has no training and affords no organizational support, yet is exposed to the same graphic evidence, and without a support network.
Juror mental health requires a specific intervention through evidence-based assessments and treatments and trauma-informed approaches, and it must be given the same priority everywhere and made available to all regions of the country.
Those concerns for juror mental health predate the pandemic. Now Canadians may be returning to court experiencing elevated mental ill health from the pandemic and exposed to new trauma in the court.
It is vital that we invest in mental health.
Thank you.
View Michael Cooper Profile
CPC (AB)
Thank you.
I would concur that the amount of funding we're talking about here with respect to juror pay and with respect to implementing other recommendations that would go a long way to support jurors is a pittance, having regard to the firehose of money that we have seen showered in this budget. Some of it very much needed funding; I don't want to minimize that reality. This, though, would be a mere pittance.
Another area that you cited is mental health and issues around mental health that jurors face in going through, in some cases, horrific trials, including stressors from not being familiar with the judicial system and being away from family and work, among many other factors.
One recommendation in the report from 2018 was to carve out an exception to the jury secrecy rule. Right now, jurors who are suffering from mental health issues arising from their jury service aren't able to talk about all aspects of their jury service, namely the deliberation process, which often can be the most stressful aspect.
I introduced a bill in the last Parliament to implement the recommendation to carve out a narrow exception to the jury secrecy rule so that jurors who are suffering from mental health issues could consult a mental health or other medical professional bound by confidentiality, thereby protecting the integrity of the jury secrecy rule while ensuring that jurors can get the help they need. There was again unanimous support for that bill, but it died in the Senate prior to the last election. I worked with Senator Boisvenu to introduce a bill in the Senate, but it's been stuck there.
The government has introduced Bill C-23, which touches on issues around jurors in a COVID context. Would you see it as beneficial that Bill C-23 be expanded to include the substance of what is in now Bill S-212 so that we can get this done, finally, which is something everyone seems to agree to?
Mark Farrant
View Mark Farrant Profile
Mark Farrant
2021-04-27 13:01
I absolutely agree with that statement. This is the third time we have tried to see this bill and this amendment to the Criminal Code pass. There is no reason it should not be added to Bill C-23.
I have spoken to members across all parties. I've spoken to members of the judiciary. I've spoken to lawyers, both Crown and defence, across the country, who all agree that this is a common sense piece of legislation that would demonstrate to Canadians another investment in jury duty and an important contribution to post-trial recovery.
Many jurors have said that it wasn't the trial, nor was it the evidence, that hurt them mentally; it was the emotional trauma of reaching a decision or not being able to reach a decision in a truly public and difficult case.
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