Karine Cameron is insulted to be told that she is not a victim, but simply a mother by the Compensation for victims of criminal acts (IVAC) which refuses to offer her financial compensation on the pretext that she is not was not on the scene during the sordid murder of his son which occurred in August 2019 in Sherbrooke.
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“I will remember this for the rest of my days. I can’t turn the page. It’s not a natural death. It’s not an accident, it’s by the hand of a human being. We don’t want our loved ones to suffer before death and that’s what happened to my son. He tried to defend himself, run away and beg him to stop. It’s a murder that is totally free, ”she described at the microphone of Benoit Dutrizac at QUB radio on Tuesday.
In the same breath, she explained that the old law stipulated that you had to be a witness to be considered a victim, like the park warden who receives compensation for life. “I can understand that. I was told that I couldn’t identify him, because he was too damaged. The next day, I went to the scene and the firefighters who were cleaning the scene ran out of water. I saw my son’s pool of blood. Despite all this, I am not considered a victim.
Courtesy picture
Thomas Cameron
The law changed recently, so that she could have been compensated for a maximum of three years. “A trial can last three years. We, meanwhile, are prisoners of this system. After three years, everything falls apart. Head, body and spirit. I have to keep fighting to be considered a victim, because it happened under the old law. It’s not even retroactive, ”said the one who was forced to borrow money from her relatives.
The latter mentioned that she no longer has the physical and mental capacities to work full time since the loss of her child. “Money doesn’t grow on trees. Where do I get this money? In Canada, I am considered a victim, but I am not compensated. In Quebec, I am not considered a victim and I do not receive compensation.
Karine Cameron understands that defendants are entitled to various services. “There is support and programs. I’m the one paying and I get nothing in return.” The latter took several steps to obtain assistance, including from IVAC, but the requests were refused. It will go to the Tribunal administratif du Québec shortly.
Thomas was a cheerful and very generous boy described his bereaved mother.
“He’s been through a lot of bullying. He turned around and he couldn’t help but help the victims. He supported his friends in bullying. He was always there for them. He was a generous boy. He was coming out of his teens and we were doing things together,” she recalled.