20 April 2012
Sherbrooke, Quebec
In advance of the seventh annual National Victims of Crime Awareness Week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced a new income support program for parents who take time off work as they cope with the death or disappearance of a child which occurred as a result of a crime. The Prime Minister was joined by Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills and Development, and Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, founder and president of the Association of Families of Persons Assassinated or Disappeared (AFPAD).
“Our Government is taking decisive action to be tougher on crime and to provide more support for victims and their families,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The income support benefit being announced today will ease the financial pressure on parents struggling to cope with the death or disappearance of a child.”
The Government of Canada recognizes that losing a child is a deeply traumatic experience, and that many parents faced with such an ordeal need time away from work to cope and recover. Beginning on January 1, 2013, the new Federal Income Support for Parents of Murdered or Missing Children will provide support to eligible parents who suffer a loss of income as a result of taking time away from work to cope with the death or disappearance of a child that was caused by a Criminal Code offence.
This new benefit responds to the concerns and calls of victims’ groups and delivers on the Government of Canada’s commitment to support the parents of murdered or missing children. It is also part of the Government’s ongoing actions to support victims of crime and is in line with the Federal Victims Strategy, which aims to improve the experience of victims of crime in the criminal justice system.
