CORNWALL, Ontario, August 1, 2012 –The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, joined by Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, today announced funding to help establish a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre for young victims of abuse in the Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and Akwesasne area.
“Our Government is committed to protecting victims of crime and giving them a greater voice in the criminal justice system,” said Minister Nicholson. “Today, along with my colleague Guy, we are taking action to support children and youth who are victims of abuse.”
“For young victims of crime and abuse, navigating through the criminal justice system can be quite traumatic as well as physically and mentally exhausting,” said Mr. Lauzon. “That is why our Government is working to ensure young victims in the Cornwall area have access to high-quality programs – all under one roof.”
The Government of Canada is providing PrévAction with $118,880 over two years to assist in creating a Child and Youth Advocacy Centre that would offer coordinated services under one roof for children and youth who are victims of abuse. The funding will assist the organization’s leaders to visit selected established child advocacy centres in order to gather information about current approaches, programs, services and best practices. PrévAction will also work with numerous community leaders and partners in creating a centre that improves the delivery of services and dissemination of information about abuse and its prevention.
“We are thankful for the funding that will help us to create a much-needed resource for our community,” said Richard Allaire, Chair, PrévAction and Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. “We will incorporate other CYACs’ best practices into our Centre’s operations, as we will use all the wisdom and efforts of our partners to see that justice is done for children, youth and their families with essential social, medical and mental health services.”
The Government has allocated more than $90 million over the past six years for initiatives that benefit victims of crime. Funds are available to provinces, territories and non-governmental organizations for programs and services that give victims of crime a more effective voice in the criminal justice system.
Backgrounder: Federal Victims Strategy and Victims Fund
Backgrounder: Child Advocacy Centres
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Ref.:
Julie Di Mambro
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621
Media Relations
Department of Justice
613-957-4207
