Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, I was very proud and very grateful to you all when I was informed yesterday that the other place passed Bill S-206 unanimously. As you know, the bill, now an act, will support jurors who need psychotherapy and psychological care following a criminal trial.

I would like to thank all Canadians who, for decades, have performed jury duty in our justice system with courage and a sense of responsibility. I thank the witnesses, who had to publicly recount, multiple times, the terrible consequences of their trial experience that burdened them for years because they never had the right to seek professional help without fear of committing a crime. These former jurors placed their steadfast faith in us so that we could make a difference at last this year. Together, we made a difference.

I want to especially thank Mark Farrant, the founder of the Canadian Juries Commission who, for years, has campaigned for the right of jurors to have access to post-trial support. I also want to thank my colleague, Senator Moncion, who, despite a very difficult experience as a juror, provided invaluable support. Your contribution, senator, left an impression on all of us about the experience of a juror. This shows that going through a profoundly difficult ordeal can translate into a positive and essential bill to help those who may have similarly painful ordeals in the future.

Colleagues, you have all contributed to this success and I thank you for that.

Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the tireless work of my colleague in the other place, MP Michael Cooper. He tried moving this bill forward on three separate occasions. He convinced me that the Senate was the best entry point for it to finally pass, arguing that we could no longer ignore the urgency of adequately supporting the needs of Canadian jurors.

I’m sure that the bill’s speedy passage without consideration in committee in the Senate sent a strong message to the other place, in other words, that there is an urgency and that this needs to be done without partisanship. The message was heard and my colleague managed, in turn, to get Bill S-206 passed quickly.

This is the first private member’s bill to pass in the Fourty-fourth Parliament. It is undoubtedly a first that it moved through the process so quickly in both chambers. It is an unequivocal example of our responsibility to be the voice of those who don’t have one, in order to stand up for their needs.

Esteemed colleagues, I conclude my statement knowing that you join me in declaring this to future jury members: You are the pillars of the integrity of our justice system. Today we are recognizing that your experience doesn’t end with the judgment that you may have declared, but that for many of you, it carries on for many years. Today, you are not only authorized to request any help you may need, but you are free to do so, as should have long been the case.

Thank you.