Canada: Conservatives discuss bill on victims’ rights – May 18, 2023

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks with reporters about a new bill that aims to strengthen the rights of victims of crime. He is joined by Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, who sponsored the legislation, and by Raquel Dancho, the Conservative public safety critic. Also taking part in the news conference on Parliament Hill are Heidi Illingworth (executive director of Ottawa Victim Services), and Darlene Ryan and Bruno Serre (members of the Association of Families of Murdered or Missing Persons). Bill S-265 seeks to establish the federal ombudsman for victims as an independent legal entity. It also proposes to amend the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and to provide a framework for implementing the rights of victims of crime. Poilievre also faces questions from reporters about concerns over the constitutionality of his proposal to deny repeat violent offenders bail.