Letter addressed to the Honourable Secretary of State Sahota on her appointment as Secretary of State for Combatting Crime

July 7, 2025

The Honourable Ruby Sahota, P. C., M.P.
Secretary of State Combatting Crime
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Secretary of State Sahota,

Congratulations on your appointment as Canada’s first Secretary of State for Combatting Crime.

As the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime, I am encouraged by the creation of this portfolio and the government’s commitment in combatting crime and building safer communities. Your leadership in this new role is critical to ensuring that our systems respond not only to crime but also to the voices of those most deeply affected by it. Our recent report on hate crime provides insights on challenges and best practices to improve access to justice for victims of hate crime.

I look forward to scheduling our first meeting, and discuss alignment of our mandate and the needs and rights of victims and survivors within broader efforts to enhance safety and justice.

I welcome the opportunity to work closely with your Office and the Government of Canada to improve outcomes for victims of crime. I trust that our mutual goal is to make Canada as safe as possible and for those who have been harmed, to ensure their rights are upheld and that they are treated with dignity and respect throughout their involvement with the criminal justice system.

Yours sincerely,

//original signed by//
Dr. Benjamin Roebuck
Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime