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GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR CHILD ADVOCACY CENTRES ACROSS CANADA
OTTAWA, October 7, 2010 — The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Shelly Glover, M.P. for Saint Boniface and Parliamentary Secretary for Indian Affairs and Northern Development today announced funding for the creation and enhancement of Child Advocacy Centres across Canada to help better serve young victims and witnesses of crime.
“The
Government is committed to supporting victims of crime, particularly
the most vulnerable among us – our children,”
said
Minister Nicholson. “Today’s investment will assist
in making it easier for children’s voices to be heard throughout
our criminal justice system.”
Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) aim to minimize the trauma of being a child victim of crime. CACs are a collaborative team of professionals who work in a child-friendly setting to help a child victim or witness navigate the criminal justice system. The work of the CAC staff greatly reduces the emotional and mental harm to the child and their approach often improves the quality of evidence brought forward in trials. Better evidence can lead to more charges laid, a higher rate of guilty pleas and convictions, and more appropriate sentences.
“Child Advocacy Centres make a significant contribution to helping
young victims of crime, and preparing witnesses to reduce the trauma
and assist the prosecution,”
said Glover. “Our Government
has made protecting families and the most vulnerable in our society
a priority.”
The $ 5.25 million in funding over 5 years will be available through the Victims Fund at the Department of Justice. Provincial/territorial victim services, non-governmental organizations or existing child advocacy centres may apply for funding to establish a child advocacy centre in their jurisdiction or expand the services for an existing CAC. In 2007, the Harper Government announced the Federal Victims Strategy and committed $52 million to respond to the needs of victims of crime.
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