Judy A. Sgro

Mr. Speaker, Greeting · 11 wordsas always, it is great to see you in the chair.Greeting Procedure · 15 wordsI am pleased today to rise in support of Bill C-16 the protecting victims act.Procedure Reasoning · 44 wordsAt its core, this legislation reflects something very fundamental: that our justice system must do much more to protect those who are the most vulnerable, especially children and survivors of violence; and that it must adapt to reflect the realities that they face today. Thanks · 23 wordsBefore I speak to the details of the bill, I do want to begin by acknowledging the strength and the courage of survivors.Thanks Claims · 63 wordsThe member for Niagara South, last week or the week before, hosted a meeting that many of us were invited to and we listened to half a dozen women who were victims.¹ They were there to speak of their position as being victims of sexual violence and so on, but also of their concerns that the perpetrators were not getting strong enough sentences. Positioning · 16 wordsThe victims have a life sentence because they will carry that abuse for their entire life, PositioningClaims · 86 wordswhereas the abusers seem to get very minimal sentences of 18 months or two years, which seem so very minimal. I very much agree with those individuals who were speaking. They were still very distraught about what had happened to them many years before and frustrated by the lack of penalties for the abusers. Whether the issue for those who came forward to tell stories is intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation or abuse of children, they want change and that is what Bill C-16 would bring. Thanks · 11 wordsTheir experiences were deeply moving and their points were well received.Thanks Reasoning · 33 wordsThey are a powerful reminder that our justice system must continue to evolve, not in theory but in practice, so that it truly meets the needs of those it is meant to protect. Claims · 80 wordsBill C-16 represents one of the most significant updates to our criminal justice system in generations. It would do so through four clear objectives: tackling gender-based violence, protecting children from predators, strengthening victims’ rights and addressing court delays. Each of these pillars speaks directly to issues that the survivors I heard from two weeks ago, advocates and experts have been raising for years. First, with respect to gender-based violence, this bill would recognize something that has too often been overlooked: Reasoning · 8 wordsthat violence does not begin with physical harm. Claims · 42 wordsIt often begins, as my other colleagues have mentioned, with patterns of control, including coercion, intimidation and manipulation, that escalate over time. By introducing a new offence for coercive and controlling conduct, this legislation would allow earlier intervention before violence becomes lethal.² Positioning · 3 wordsThis is critical.Positioning Claims · 58 wordsIt reflects again what survivors and frontline organizations have told us, which is that warning signs are often present but we have not always had the legal tools to respond to them. The bill would also ensure that murders committed in contexts such as coercive control, sexual violence or exploitation are recognized with the seriousness that they warrant.³ Reasoning · 13 wordsThese are not isolated acts. They are part of a continuum of violence. Claims · 10 wordsThis legislation would begin to reflect that reality in law. Reasoning · 12 wordsSecond, with respect to protecting children, the need for action is urgent. Claims · 93 wordsWe know that the nature of exploitation has changed.Unearned certainty Predators are increasingly using digital platforms to groom, manipulate and extort children. Bill C-16 responds directly to those threats. It would strengthen offences related to child luring and sextortion; ⁴criminalize emerging forms of abuse, including the use of threats and digital content; and reinforce accountability through stronger penalties. It would also ensure that law enforcement and the justice system would be equipped to respond to the new technologies, including the use of AI-generated sexual deepfakes, ⁵which can be used to exploit and harm victims. Positioning · 18 wordsFor children and families navigating these deeply traumatic experiences, these measures are not abstract. They are essential protections.Positioning Claims · 83 wordsThird, this legislation would strengthen victims’ rights. We know that, for many victims, the justice system can be overwhelming.Unearned certainty Victims often struggle to access information, to understand processes and to have their voices heard. Bill C-16 would build on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights by improving access to information, expanding participation and ensuring that victims are treated with dignity and respect.⁶ It would also expand access to supports such as testimonial aids, helping reduce the risk of retraumatization when individuals come forward.⁷ Positioning · 10 wordsThese are practical changes, but they are also deeply meaningful.Positioning Claims · 27 wordsThey would help ensure that victims are not simply observers in the justice process, but participants whose experiences matter. Fourth, and critically, the bill addresses court delays. Reasoning · 10 wordsDelays are not just procedural issues. They have real consequences. Claims · 86 wordsWe have seen serious cases, including those involving sexual violence, collapse entirely because of delays. For victims, this can be devastating. It can mean that after coming forward, after reliving their trauma, there is no resolution and no accountability. Bill C-16 introduces measures to reduce these outcomes, requiring courts to consider alternatives before stays of proceedings, streamlining procedures and clarifying just how these delays are assessed.⁸ These changes in Bill C-16 are about ensuring that cases are heard and that justice is not lost to process. Reasoning · 18 wordsWhat is important about this legislation, as well, is not just any single measure, but its collective impact. Claims · 68 wordsThe bill recognizes that violence today is complex and evolving. It reflects the rise of digital exploitation affecting our children, the realities of coercive control, the vulnerabilities of children online and the ongoing challenges victims face within the system. It also responds to what we have heard from commissions, experts and communities across the country that earlier intervention, stronger protections and a more responsive justice system are needed. Procedure · 13 wordsAt the same time, it is important to ground this work in principle.Procedure Reasoning · 131 wordsWe must ensure that victims are treated with care, dignity and compassion. We must ensure that those who come forward are supported, informed and respected throughout the process. We must continue building a system where survivors can have confidence not only that they will be heard, but that the system will respond in an appropriate manner. No single piece of legislation will resolve all the challenges. We know there are gaps that will remain. We also know that continued investment in prevention, in services and in supports will always be essential, but legislation like Bill C-16 is a critical part of that work. It provides the tools. It sets the standards and it signals clearly that protecting victims, especially children, is not optional. It is a fundamental responsibility of us all. Positioning · 20 wordsI am proud to be part of a government that is taking meaningful steps, both in law and in practice.PositioningVague promise Thanks · 17 wordsI appreciate the fact that the opposition is supporting this bill and has helped move it along.⁹Thanks Reasoning · 71 wordsIn closing, this bill is more than legal reform. It is about ensuring that survivors are heard, victims are protected, and those women who I met from Niagara South two weeks ago can look at Bill C-16 and know that we were thinking of them when we put this forward. It is about ensuring that those who are the most vulnerable are not overlooked, but supported with care, dignity and action. Thanks · 21 wordsFor all of these reasons, I am proud to support Bill C-16 and appreciate the support of all of the opposition.Thanks