Nova Scotia provides among the lowest in victim compensation: UBC law professor
Posted Mar 27, 2017 04:22:57 PM.
Last Updated Mar 28, 2017 05:10:05 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – A new study shows Nova Scotia is not doing enough to compensate victims of serious and violent crimes.
University of British Columbia law professor Benjamin Perrin conducted the three year study, which shows Nova Scotia only provides a maximum of $2,000 for victim compensation to cover counselling.
Perrin told NEWS 95.7 that Nova Scotia’s compensation pales in comparison to other provinces.
“In other provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan, individual victims qualify for up to $100,000. Neighbouring provinces like New Brunswick provide up to $10,000 and PEI provides up to $15,000,” said Perrin.
Perrin said victims of serious and violent crimes are often left with hefty financial costs, including crime scene cleanup, lost wages, property damage and counselling among other things.
“The Department of Justice Canada estimates the cost of crime at $100 billion per year and most of those costs are paid fro by victims. In most cases, the court is not going to order the offender to pay, and that’s why every province in Canada except for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have comprehensive systems in place to support victims financially.”
Perrin is calling on Premier Stephen McNeil step up and restore cuts to victim compensation that have happened over the past 30 years, as well as providing more overall support for victims in the province.
Perrin published his findings in a book called Victim Law: The Law of Victims of Crime in Canada.
He was also in Halifax on Monday to present his findings before an audience at Dalhousie University.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS
In an emailed response, Nova Scotia’s justice department said their victim services unit offers a range of services including crisis services and emergency protection orders.
The department did acknowledge it has heard from women and support groups about the need to provide better support for victims of sexual assault and violence, adding it will do so by hiring two special prosecutors to handles sexual assault cases and to provide specialized training for crown attorneys.
The response did not include any mention of the province’s victim compensation plan or Perrin’s calls to restore cuts made to victim compensation over the past 30 years.
