SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Member of Parliament

Laurel Collins

  • Member of Parliament
  • Member of Parliament
  • NDP
  • Victoria
  • British Columbia
  • Voting Attendance: 61%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $127,392.53

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 190 - May/3/23
Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)
  • May/3/23 3:54:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present, in both official languages, two petitions, which collectively have over 5,000 signatures. The subject of these petitions is publication bans. The petitioners note that these restrictions, when unwanted, are paternalistic and prevent a victim complainant from exercising freedom of expression. They reinforce shame and the notion that anonymity always equals protection. Unwanted publication bans can give the impression that abusers are protected and benefit from the restrictions on the victim complainants, as they prevent open communication about the offence and harm experienced. The petitioners are calling on the government to allow victim complainants to attribute their own experience of sexual offences without being charged; to grant adult victim complainants of sexual offences a choice in the application of publication bans; to produce comprehensive, accessible, multilingual and public information on these bans on government websites; to simplify the process to lift a ban without the services of a lawyer; and to allow victim complainants to opt out of these bans on their victim impact statement forms.
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