Leaving watchdog job empty sends ‘bad message’

Vacant role shows victims of crime are not a priority for feds, advocates and researchers say

The federal government is sending a message that victims of crime are not a priority by leaving an important watchdog role vacant, advocates and researchers say.

The role of federal ombudsman for victims of crime has been vacant since Oct. 1, with Justice Minister David Lametti’s office saying it will be filled “in due course.”

“It’s sending a bad message, it’s showing that victims of crime are not a priority of the federal government,” said Jo-Anne Wemmers, victimologist and professor at Université de Montréal’s school of criminology.

Adding to concerns victims of crime are not being heard is Parliament’s failure to complete a review of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights, advocates say. The review was supposed to happen in 2020.

The ombud’s office, created by the Conservative government in 2007, investigates complaints about federal bodies that deal with victims — such as Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board of Canada — as well as makes public reports and recommendations to the federal government to strengthen victims’ rights and supports.

A spokesperson for the office said that while the ombudsman role is vacant, the office continues to handle victims’ complaints, assist them in finding services, and “promote awareness of the needs and concerns of victims via our departmental contacts.”

The executive director of the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime said victims have reached out asking about the vacancy, and second-guessing whether they can rely on the office if the top job is vacant.

Aline Vlasceanu also noted the importance of the ombudsman’s broader role of publicly drawing attention to systemic issues facing victims. “It’s a huge problem,” Vlasceanu said of the vacancy. “It’s disappointing and disheartening and victims are noticing.”

The Liberals have faced criticism in the past for leaving the ombudsman chair empty. The position had been vacant for almost a year by the time Heidi Illingworth began her three-year term on Oct. 1, 2018.

Illingworth told the Star that it is a “significant gap” when the position is vacant and that she hoped it’s “filled sooner rather than later,” given what she described as “high levels of private violence and victimization” happening in homes during the pandemic.

“The ombudsperson has a critical role in highlighting and reviewing systemic issues that negatively affect victims and emerging issues,” said Illingworth, now executive director of Ottawa Victim Services.

The bill, brought in by the Conservatives in 2015, lays out rights for victims including the right to information about the criminal justice system, the right to participate in the justice process and the right to ask the courts for restitution.

The bill said a parliamentary committee should conduct a review of it in five years. The House of Commons’ justice committee finally began a study last June, but did not finish before Parliament was dissolved for the federal election.

A spokesperson for Lametti said decisions relating to the review, including on timing, ultimately rest with Parliament. “The government supports Parliament undertaking the review of the Act and is ready to work with other parliamentary parties during this minority Parliament on it,” Chantalle Aubertin said.

When asked whether the justice committee will pursue the study of the bill of rights, the new committee chair, Liberal MP Randeep Sarai, said in an email that the committee will decide its topics of study at its next meeting on Feb. 1.

Advocates say the review is crucial to strengthening the bill.

“These bills of rights continue to try to give victims a more effective voice in the criminal justice system, when in fact what victims need are tangible supports like counselling and state compensation, and these are the things that cost money and require a government action plan,” said Jeff Bradley, a PhD candidate at Carleton University whose research includes penal abolition and violence prevention.

‘‘ It’s a huge problem. It’s disappointing and disheartening and victims are noticing.

ALINE VLASCEANU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CANADIAN RESOURCE CENTRE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME