5th Annual Victims of Crime Awareness Week

Rick Norlock in Question period - April 19

Mr. Rick Norlock (Northumberland-Quinte West, CPC): Mr. Speaker, today, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice launched the fifth annual National Victims of Crime Awareness Week symposium. Our government's commitment to ensuring the victims of crime have a strong voice in the criminal justice system remains a cornerstone of our justice agenda.

Would the Minister of Justice please tell the House what our government has done for the victims of crime in this country?

Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, CPC): Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank this member for his continual support of our justice agenda.

As part of an element that is committed to supporting victims, we created the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime and we committed $52 million, over four years, to help federal-provincial-territorial governments respond to a variety of needs of victims of crimes.

I have to tell members how pleased I was to see $6.6 million additional in the 2010 budget.

I am proud to be a member of the only political party that will stand up for victims in this country.