QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime
June 23, 2021
Honourable senators, today I have a question for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
In 2018, leader, the Trudeau government brought in the Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime to replace a similar program under the Conservative government. The Liberals criticized the previous program for not doing enough to help parents unable to work due to the death or disappearance of their child or children, as a result of a Criminal Code offence.
When the Liberals brought in their program, they estimated 320 families a year would benefit. Instead, in answer to a question I put on the Order Paper, it shows that between the end of September 2018 and the end of October 2020, only 75 applications were received and 50 applications approved.
Leader, why hasn’t this benefit helped as many families as you promised when it was introduced? What has your government done since 2018 to promote the awareness of this program?
Thank you for your question, honourable colleague. I will have to make inquiries and get the information and report back when I can.
Thank you for that. I probably need to respect that you don’t have these answers at your fingertips and I do. However, it is taking entirely too long for you to get us these answers. I sincerely hope that will improve. I think Senator Black pointed this out the other day.
Leader, in 2018, it was estimated this benefit would pay out about $5 million annually to families of missing and murdered children. Instead, the answer I received showed that in the roughly two-year period I just mentioned — September 2018 to October 2020 — the amount provided was only $583,850.
Leader, Bill C-30 proposes to amend the Canada Labour Code to ensure private sector employees who are federally regulated have job protection when they use this benefit. This is something your government promised to do well over two years ago, leader.
All evidence suggests these families have not been a priority for your government. Why not?
Thank you for your question. With regard to the first part of your question, I don’t have the information — thank you for recognizing that — in terms of the actual monies paid out, but I can’t agree with the premise of your second question.
The fact is, Bill C-30, which I hope we will be debating and will pass next week, contains measures to help all Canadian families, businesses and the like. The government is proud and pleased to be able to provide this level of assistance to all Canadians.
