Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime, copy to Justice Canada
Third letter: a decision over a name under Order P.C. 2007-0355, the date of the entry, and the annual report.
The letter ·
RE: RE: RE: Systemic issue - Canada set the age of protection at 16 years in 2008 and has not measured the effect on children aged 16 and 17 since
Hello,
Attention: the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime. Copy: the Minister of Justice, to whom the Ombudsperson reports and is accountable under section 7(1) of the Schedule to Order in Council P.C. 2007-0355.
The letter of 24 September 2026 came from this Office's address, over the title Complaints Review Officer, in the words "We recognize how troubling it is to see such a significant gap in measurement." On 9 October 2026 the same officer wrote that it was not a statement "on behalf of my office." The Office answers complaints through that officer. The letter of 24 September 2026 stays in my file as the letter of the Office.
I did not ask the Office to write on my behalf. I asked the Ombudsperson to use the powers of the Ombudsperson. Section 4(2)(4) of the Schedule: "to identify and review emerging and systemic issues." Section 9(1): reports "at any time," with recommendations to the Minister of Justice. Section 9(5): publication 60 days after submission.
Parliament set the age of protection at 16 years in 2008. Since then Canada has not measured how many victims of police-reported sexual offences are 16 and 17 years old. That is a systemic issue under section 4(2)(4), and the Minister of Justice answers for the provision.
Answer in writing by 23 October 2026, signed by the Ombudsperson or by a named officer with delegated authority:
1. Whether the Ombudsperson reviews this issue under section 4(2)(4): yes or no, the date of the decision and the name of the person who made it.
2. The date on which this issue was recorded in my file.
3. The date the next annual report goes to the Minister of Justice under section 7(2), and the closing date for material in it.
4. Whether a report under section 9(1) will issue on the measurement of sexual offences against victims aged 16 and 17: yes or no, the reason and the name of the person who decided.Without that answer, the file goes to the Minister of Justice under section 7(1) and to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. The record goes to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child before Canada's report to that Committee falls due on 11 January 2027.
This exchange goes into the public record at https://dzyuban.com/legal/record/
Respectfully,
Danilo Dzyuban
The answer ·
Dear Danilo,
I apologize for any misunderstanding my earlier email may have caused and I want to clarify my wording.
When I wrote, “We recognize how troubling it is to see such a significant gap in measurement, especially when it affects Parliament’s ability to assess the impact of its own laws.” I was acknowledging that I understood your frustration. I was not confirming your statement nor making a statement on behalf of my office or on behalf of the government of Canada.
I apologize for not making that distinction more clear in my original wording.
Our Mandate
The Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime is an independent resource for victims of crime in Canada. We promote access to federal victim services, review fairness in services, and ensure policymakers understand the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR) and systemic issues affecting victims and survivors.
We also document complaints and we have the ability to conduct systemic investigations under the lead of the ombudsperson.
Record Management
Our records management system does not assign a unique file number to individual client records. Files are indexed and identified by the client’s name and surname.
Letter Request
Our office cannot serve as a formal conduit or proxy for submissions that are intended for other institutions; therefore, any documents that you wish the Minister of Justice (or any other agency) to review must be sent directly to that office or agency. We also cannot write or submit a letter on your behalf.
Reporting and public documents
The contents of our annual report and any other formal reports or recommendations are not available publicly until those documents are finalized and officially released.
The decision about what issues and recommendations appear in those reports and in Parliament rests with the Ombudsperson, in line with our mandate.Our role specific to your concerns and requests
The role of our office and what we can do within our mandate limits are outlined in my previous correspondence.
You can find further information about our mandate and processes here: Public Bill (Senate) S-265 (44-1) - First Reading - Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime Act - Parliament of Canada<https://www.parl.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/bill/S-265/first-reading>;.
I hope this clarifies my previous wording and the limits of our Office’s mandate.
Thank you,