Ombudsman says crime victims should have right to attend parole hearings

OTTAWA – The federal ombudsman for crime victims says they should have a right to attend parole hearings and get more information about the offenders who preyed on them.

Sue O’Sullivan also says the federal government should double the $100 surcharge levelled against criminals to finance restitution for victims.

She says that surcharge is routinely waived in the courts, but should be made mandatory.

O’Sullivan’s first report since her appointment in August 2010 notes crime victims now may attend parole hearings, but are limited to reading a pre-approved statement.

She says they should have an automatic right to attend and should be given the option of video-conferencing or access to transcripts or recordings if they cannot attend in person.

And O’Sullivan says victims should be kept up-to-date about where offenders are serving their sentences, when they are up for release and how they have progressed in rehabilitation.

Now, she says, the information available to victims is strictly limited and it’s time to strike a better balance.

“The care and rights of victims should be equivalent to that of offenders,” she said. “As it stands now in Canada, this is not the case. We must take action now to correct that imbalance.”

She said many victims are frustrated by rules that limit their participation in parole hearings.

“They don’t feel that their voices have been heard.”

O’Sullivan is a former police officer who was deputy chief in Ottawa before being appointed as ombudsman.