Office of the Child and Youth Advocate
March 7, 2011

Child and Youth Advocate Supports Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates (CCCYA) on Bill C-4

On March 16, 2010, the Federal Government introduced Bill C-4, An Act to Amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and to make consequential and related amendments to other acts. The Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates (CCCYA) today strongly recommended that Parliament should stay any further consideration of Bill C-4. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Chair of the CCCYA, appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee to explain the council’s concerns on the proposed amendments.

The Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates feels that the proposed amendments in Bill C-4 would be pulling away from some of the fundamental provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and are petitioning the House of Commons Justice and Human Rights Committee to reject Bill C-4. They feel the amendments proposed would polarize the fundamental notions of “protection of public” and “rehabilitation of youth” rather than recognize them as interdependent pillars of the Canadian youth criminal justice system.

Carol Chafe, the Child and Youth Advocate for Newfoundland and Labrador, said today “As the Child and Youth Advocate for Newfoundland and Labrador and a member of the CCCYA, I fully support the submission to the Standing Committee on Bill C-4. We must ensure the rights and interests of every child are respected including those in the criminal justice system.”

Further information on the Youth Criminal Justice Act can be accessed on the Government of Canada website at www.justice.gc.ca .

For a copy of the complete submission please go to www.childandyouthadvocate.nf.ca/

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2011 03 07                                                      1:30 p.m.