In my previous career, I spent a lot of time in courtrooms covering stories involving criminal acts. Far too often, the focus was on the criminal and not on the victim.

This particular piece of legislation is proposing changes to a Victims’ Bill of Rights—back in 1995—that will give victims the ability to sue convicted offenders for emotional distress and related bodily harm for crimes of terrorism, motor vehicle theft and hate crimes targeting religious groups, as well as sexual offences and human trafficking.

I want to ask the member from Oakville North–Burlington why it is important, in her opinion, for our government to bring these changes forward and how they will impact the lives of victims.

Thank you for the question. Yes, our government has a really ambitious plan to build across Ontario, and to deliver on that plan, we need all kinds of workers and we need women in the trades. Currently, only one in 10 construction workers in Ontario is a woman. To attract more women to these really well-paying and rewarding careers, we need to make our job sites safe and welcoming.

The standard for PPE fit and sizing in construction has historically been a male body. This has made it harder for women and others outside of the standard fit and sizing to find equipment that properly fits the proportions of a woman’s body, with many having to refashion ill-fitting garments or equipment to fit, potentially compromising the effectiveness of the PPE. The proposed changes would clarify and make explicit the requirement that PPE and clothing be a proper fit, taking into account all factors, including consideration of diverse body types.