I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Justice Policy on the estimates selected by the standing committee for consideration.

My question is to the member from Whitby. He sits on the justice policy committee and was part of the hearings leading up to this legislation. My question to the member: We heard from a number of police commissioners and police association leaders that you don’t need a post-secondary degree to apply to the OPP in this province, but also, that they felt that having a university degree could pose a barrier for certain racialized communities that would prevent them from joining the police force. They also talked about how critical it is to make sure that individuals in the community see themselves reflected in their police force for community policing.

I’m wondering if the member could please comment on the importance of making sure that our community police forces reflect the communities they serve, and that a vote for this act is a vote for community safety.

Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

Gender-based violence has been an issue that is increasingly guiding our spotlight. The justice system understands the impacts that it has, not only for the victim but for the families, and the need to make sure that the judiciary has access to the training that will allow them to weigh these situations in a way that is balanced and even-handed and that addresses the root causes and protects the family. That is the main thrust behind these training initiatives—but you have to appreciate that the judiciary is independent, so offering these systems and training for them is something that they will take.