Canada's NDP

Skip to main content

May 15th, 2014

Welland MP tables bill to strengthen victims’ rights

Today Welland MP Malcolm Allen introduced a Private Member’s Bill to strengthen victims’ rights.

The bill is the result of Allen’s work with one of his constituents, Dawn Colson, who had several threats made against her and feared for her life when her ex-husband – a Cuban national with a violent criminal record in Canada – was arrested after subjecting Colson to repeated physical and sexual abuse. Because he was a foreign national, Ms Colson could not get any information about where her attacker would be released or when.

“Ms. Colson suffered unbearable hardship due in large part to the lack of information she was able to receive from Canadian authorities about the status of her attacker,” said Allen. “It is our hope that this bill will help prevent others from suffering in the future.”

Allen’s Bill C-598 would give the victims of foreign nationals similar rights and standing as those victimized by Canadian citizens.

“I think all Parliamentarians can agree that victims should be treated equally, regardless of the immigration status of the offender” said Allen.