Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Senator Moreau, it has been generally acknowledged that the bulk of advocacy work on behalf of wrongfully convicted people in Canada is conducted pro bono by groups such as Innocence Canada and Projet Innocence Québec. What specific resources will be made available to wrongfully convicted people as they seek to exonerate themselves under the new Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission?

Hon. Pierre Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you, Senator Bernard. As you know, unfortunately, I cannot comment on future budgetary or spending decisions of the government.

I would also like to acknowledge the important work that Innocence Canada and Projet Innocence Québec conduct, both as legal counsel and as pro bono advocates for justice reform.

As you may know, the Department of Justice Canada does not provide ongoing operations funding to Innocence Canada or Projet Innocence Québec. In terms of general support, however, the Department of Justice Canada operates a variety of funding programs to which pro bono groups can apply, though none are specifically targeted at addressing wrongful convictions, and there are specific criteria for the types of activities that can be funded by the Department of Justice Canada.

Senator Bernard: Senator Moreau, it cannot be forgotten that when a person is exonerated for a wrongful conviction, this often results in significant uncertainty and additional trauma for victims of crime, who may not necessarily receive an answer from the justice system as to who caused the harm they, their families or friends have suffered.

What specific supports and resources will be made available to victims of crime who are unnecessarily retraumatized as the result of —

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, Senator Bernard.

Senator Moreau: First, I want to underline that the government recognizes the profound and lasting impacts that violent crimes and miscarriages of justice can have.

I have been informed that the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission will have a dedicated victim services coordinator position to support victims. The coordinator will also assist with the development of procedural policies with a specific mandate that attends to notifications for victims and ensures participation in the process is consistent —

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: Thank you, Senator Moreau.