Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime

News Archive

  • 22 April 2009 - Bill C-268, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (minimum sentence for offences involving trafficking of persons under the age of eighteen years), passed at Second Reading by a vote of 232 in favour to 47 opposed. MP Joy Smith also tabled petitions containing over 5000 signatures from Canadians who are demanding that the penalties to child traffickers fully reflect the gravity of the crime. Bill C-268 will now be reviewed by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, before being reported back to the House of Commons for Third Reading.
  • 25 March 2009 - $76G for rush translation
  • 13 March 2009 - The report from the Symposium on Supporting Victims of Terrorism, held at UN Headquarters in New York on 9 September 2009 has been released. The Symposium provided an opportunity for 18 victims of terrorism and a number of experts invited by the Secretary-General to share their experiences, hopes and insights with Member States and civil society. The report summarizes the discussions and recommendations of Symposium participants.
  • 23 February 2009 - CRCVC supports MP Joy Smith's Private Member's Bill C-268, minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of five years for offences involving trafficking of persons under the age of eighteen years. Learn more about the bill and other supportive organizations.
  • 8 February 2009 - It is with great sadness that the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime reports the passing of Mr. Gary Rosenfeldt, co-founder of Victims of Violence Canadian Centre for Missing Children. Gary passed away in the company of his loved ones on Sunday, February 8th, 2009, after a hard fought battle against cancer.
  • 6 February 2009 - Killer denied bid for parole
  • 16 January 2009 - Response from Public Safety Minister indicating that CSC will provide notification of temporary absences to ALL registered victims, not just in high profile cases
  • 30 October 2008 - 2007 Annual Report
  • 16 September 2008 - CRCVC calls upon federal Ministers to support victims of terrorism following UN Symposium
  • 8 September 2008 - CRCVC calls on Ontario Attorney General to implement recommendations from the McMurtry Report on Financial Assistance for Victims of Violent Crime in Ontario
  • 2 September 2008 - CRCVC writes to Children and Family Services Minister in Ontario seeking improved child protection services

  • August 31, 2008 - Tony Cannavino steps down as President of the Canadian Police Association

    The CRCVC is grateful to Mr. Tony Cannavino for his loyalty and support of the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime (CRCVC) throughout his five years as President. His concern for persons victimized by violent crime is unmistakable and sincere. We truly appreciate his contribution to our Board of Directors and wish him health and happiness in his new pursuits.

  • July 29, 2008 - Coalition on Community Safety, Health and Well-being writes letter to Toronto Star regarding the importance of investing in crime prevention through social development.
  • July 29, 2008 - Probe under way into sale of Clifford Olson's personal items
  • July 28, 2008 - CRCVC welcomes Rosalie Turcotte and Susheel Gupta to the Board of Directors. Read their bios.
  • July 25, 2008 - CRCVC writes to the Minister of Justice about the impact on victim services when Canadian judges do not order offenders to pay the victim fine surcharge
  • July 10, 2008 - CRCVC writes to CSC Commissioner about killer's items for sale online
  • July 7, 2008 - The University of Ottawa Institute for the Prevention of Crime releases a report calls which calls for a stronger role for municipalities in tackling crime. Strengthening the role of municipalities is a smart way to reduce youth gangs, violence against women, urban crime and illicit drug use, according to the report prepared by the IPC in collaboration with 14 municipalities from across Canada.
  • June 19, 2008 - CRCVC responds to Joyce Arthur re: Bill C-484
  • June 10, 2008 - CRCVC writes to warden to oppose escorted passes for murderer
  • June 4, 2008 - Knife crime bill goes to committee
  • June 3, 2008 - CRCVC writes to Minister of Justice regarding stabbing of innocent woman in Toronto by mentally ill offender
  • May 13, 2008 - CRCVC calls on federal government and all provinces/territories to implement strategy similar to Alberta's three-pronged strategy of enforcement, prevention and treatment to reduce crime and make communities safer
  • May 13, 2008 - CRCVC calls on federal government to implement annual victimization surveys
  • April 21, 2008 - CRCVC writes to all members of parliament re: Bill C-393
  • April 16, 2008 - Victims call for parole reform in meeting with Public Safety Minister
  • April 11, 2008 - Private Member's Bill C-393, up for second reading in the House of Commons
  • February 13, 2008 - It's Time to Stand up for Victims, Not Criminals - OPP Association Urges Canadians to Sign Petition
  • February 8, 2008 - CRCVC writes letter to Federal Ministers regarding Robert Latimer
  • January 31, 2008 - CRCVC writes to Prime Minister Harper re: S-225
  • January 15, 2008 - More needed to protect children from sex offenders
  • January 8, 2008 - Death brings back painful memories
  • December 19, 2007 - Convicted Killer Worms Way Out Back Door
  • December 17, 2007 - CRCVC works with victim's mother who says prison wardens shouldn't be allowed to bypass the normal parole system.

  • December 18, 2007 - QUEBEC GOVERNMENT PASSES BILL THAT REQUIRES EMPLOYERS TO GRANT A LEAVE TO VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND TRAGEDY

    AFPAD, a Quebec victims' rights group representing more than 400 families of murdered and missing people, is to be congratulated for their efforts during the last two years to bring Bill 58 into the Quebec legislature.

    The bill, the first of its kind in Canada, requires employers to grant a leave of absence of up to two years to employees whose child or spouse is slain. It also allows employees or their children who suffer serious bodily injury as a result of a crime to have the right to a two-year leave of absence, as well as employers to grant a leave of absence of up to one year to an employee whose child or spouse commits suicide, or if their child disappears.

  • November 28, 2007 - Manitoba law would make not reporting child porn a crime

  • November 26, 2007 - CRCVC officials met with Conservative MP Joy Smith to discuss her important work to prevent human trafficking. Mrs. Smith introduced Private Member's Bill C-486 on November 21, 2007.

    The bill amends the Criminal Code to prohibit a person from communicating with anyone for the purpose of procuring, attempting to procure or soliciting another person to commit a sexual offence, whether in or out of Canada.

    Human trafficking is a lucrative organized-crime racket that typically lures boys, girls and women from small towns and turns them into sex slaves. They are often lured to a different country or a big city under false pretences and are coerced into the trade by threats of retaliation against family, beatings, torture or unless they submit to customers.

  • CRCVC meets with McMurtry

    November 13, 2007

    The CRCVC, along with Victims of Violence, met today with the Honourable Roy McMurtry in order to present our recommendations about how to improve compensation for victims of violent crime in Ontario. We presented our brief and made a number of recommendations, focussing on:

    • simplify the application process;
    • provide sensitive support to applicants;
    • shorten waiting times between the application and adjudication of files; and
    • provide prompt, generous awards to those victims deemed eligible.

    We believe the average awards in Ontario are simply not high enough. We also believe that families of homicide victims are treated unfairly. The violent, unexpected murder of a close relative, particularly the murder of a child, should provide for an automatic pain and suffering award by the Board because the severe psychological trauma is implicit. We hope that the discretion given to the Board to assess each individual case that comes before them will not be eliminated. McMurtry's report and recommendations are expected in May of 2008.

  • October 18, 2007 - The CRCVC was invited, as a key stakeholder, to Parliament Hill today to support the government's announcement of the Tackling Violent Crime Act. This new legislation will:

    • impose mandatory jail time for serious gun crimes;
    • create tougher bail rules when a gun is used to commit a crime;
    • increase the age of protection for sexual activity from 14 years to 16 years;
    • crack down on impaired driving; and
    • ensure high-risk and dangerous offenders face tougher consequences when they are sentenced and are better monitored post-release to prevent them from offending again and again.

  • Customer Name and Address Consultations by Public Safety Canada

    October 10, 2007

    The CRCVC was pleased to participate in the Customer Name and Address (CNA) Consultations held today by Public Safety Canada. However, after making our presentation, we were appauled and disgusted to hear the continued problems facing Canadian law enforcement when attempting to access basic CNA information (non-sensitive biographical information about a subscriber) from Canadian Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Police need basic CNA information in the pre-warrant stage of investigations into child sexual exploitation on the Internet. In the early stages of an investigation, the ISP is the only possible source to identify the computer. If reasonable and probable grounds exist, police then have to seek a warrant to further investigate who is resposible for using the computer on the day and time in question and gather evidence.

    The officer described being denied this information two thirds of the time, meaning only 33% of requests are complied with each month in Canada. ISPs in Canada are not legally required to cooperate with law enforcement (even when it is clearly stated that there are children at risk), retain IP address data (by destroying data, ISPs are deleting evidence where police could possibly rescue a child) or even report suspected criminal acts to police. Restaurant owners in Canada are more highly regulated!

    The victims of child sexual exploitation on the Internet are getting younger and younger. A significant portion are 3 years old or younger now. These children cannot ask for help. Canadian ISPs must take some responsibility for the environment they create and profit financially from. They must be legally compelled to provide CNA information to police, as is done in other countries around the world in order to protect and rescue children from abuse.

  • 5 October 2007 - The CRCVC participated in the consultation process to establish a single service delivery network for victims of abuse, which would replace the current ad hoc New Identities for Victims of Abuse (NIVA) process. We made several recommendations and received a very positive response from program officials. We look forward to the implementation of the new program in the coming months. If you would like to receive a copy of the consultation paper we submitted, please email the office.

  • Call for jail minimums in knife killings

  • On June 4, 2007, the CRCVC submitted our brief to the CSC Review Panel, including a list of 18 recommendations to improve the manner in which victims are treated by the Correctional Service of Canada.

  • Canada's Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime

  • Emergency Financial Assistance for Canadians Victimized Abroad

    As of April 1, 2007, emergency financial assistance is available to individual Canadians who are victims of specified serious violent crimes in a foreign jurisdiction. Read about who may qualify and for an application form.