QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Justice
Support for Jurors
October 5, 2022
Thank you for being here in the Senate today. My question is about assistance for jury support organizations.
Organizations with a mission to provide support to jurors need funding to implement the recommendations set out in the 2018 report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in the other place, entitled Improving support for jurors in Canada.
The report takes into account jurisdictional issues that limit the support the federal government can provide. Federal funding for non-governmental entities is therefore a critical part of successfully moving this issue forward.
Could you tell us how your department supports these organizations?
I’m working with Mark Farrant on a way to support jurors. That was Michael Cooper’s private member’s bill, which I supported from the get-go in its earlier iteration, ever since I was appointed as minister, to help jurors who need psychological support because of their contribution and its impact. That was very important, and we supported the bill. Thanks to the resources of Mr. Farrant’s organization, we will continue to find ways to act on the recommendations in the report you just referred to.
