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Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:00 p.m.

“I want to split my time with someone else who agrees with me.”

Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:00 p.m.

“I support this bill. Our laws must change when the world changes.”

Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:05 p.m.

“I want Parliament to pass my bill. Our criminal laws must evolve. This act will help victims, women, children, and survivors of abuse. It will create a new offence of coercive control. It will strengthen protection for children. It will restore minimum mandatory penalties for serious child sexual offences. It will expand access to support services for victims. If you vote against this bill, you will have to explain to Canadians why you opposed it.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, crime evolves. Technology evolves. The experiences of victims evolve. Parliament has a responsibility to ensure that our criminal laws evolve as well. The protecting victims act responds to the realities of modern victimization. It strengthens protections for victims and survivors. It addresses emerging forms of abuse and exploitation. It increases accountability for serious offenders. It provides law enforcement and the courts with additional tools to help keep Canadians safe. Throughout the debate, we have discussed public safety, violence against women, child protection, online exploitation and victims' rights. These are not abstract issues. This is about real people. This affects families in every part of the country. They deserve a meaningful response from Parliament. The protecting victims act directly addresses the concerns of victims, survivors, community organizations and justice system experts across the country. It aims to better protect vulnerable people and ensure that our laws reflect today's realities. One of the most significant measures in the legislation would be the creation of a new offence of coercive control. For many years, survivors and advocates have told us that abuse begins long before physical violence occurs. Very often it begins with intimidation, isolation, manipulation or threats. It begins with a pattern of behaviour designed to dominate another person's life. Victims may be cut off from family and friends. Their finances may be controlled, their communications may be monitored, and their independence may gradually be taken away. Taken together, these actions can create an environment of fear and control that has devastating consequences, yet too often, intervention occurs only after violence has escalated. Too often, warning signs are recognized only after a tragedy has occurred. The protecting victims act would represent an important step forward. By creating a new offence of coercive control, Parliament would recognize that abuse is not defined only by physical violence, but that psychological abuse, emotional abuse and patterns of domination and control matter, and that victims deserve protection before violence escalates. All too often, victims wonder why no one intervened sooner. Creating a new offence related to coercive control finally recognizes a reality that survivors have been describing for years. This measure gives authorities an additional tool to intervene earlier and better protect those at risk. Another major focus of the protecting victims act is the protection of children. I believe that every member of the House can agree that children deserve to be safe, protected, and free from exploitation. Unfortunately, criminals increasingly use digital platforms to groom victims, distribute exploitative materials, engage in sextortion and facilitate abuse. The Internet has created tremendous opportunities, but it has also created new risks. The law must keep pace with those risks. The protecting victims act would strengthen the legal framework related to child sexual exploitation and online abuse. It would make reporting requirements mandatory for social media companies when child sexual abuse material and exploitative content are identified. Canadians rightly expect digital platforms to act responsibly and to co-operate in protecting children from exploitation. Parents expect Parliament to respond when criminals use modern technology to target young people. The legislation would be exactly that response. Protecting children should never be a partisan issue. The fight against the sexual exploitation of children should never be a partisan issue. We all have a responsibility to act when the safety of young people is at risk. The protecting victims act would also respond to the growing threat of sexually explicit deepfakes and image-based abuse. Technology continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace. Artificial intelligence has created remarkable opportunities, but it can also be misused. We have seen disturbing images of sexually explicit images being created and distributed without consent. Women and girls have been disproportionately targeted by these harmful practices. No one should have to fear that their likeness will be manipulated and weaponized against them. No one should have to endure the trauma of discovering that sexually explicit images have been created or shared without their consent. The protecting victims act would modernize the Criminal Code to address these realities and ensure that victims are protected, regardless of whether abuse occurs online or off-line. Accountability is another important principle underlying the legislation. Canadians expect serious consequences for serious crimes. That expectation is reasonable and is reflected in the protecting victims act. The legislation would restore more than a dozen mandatory minimum penalties related to serious child sexual offences, would increase penalties for child predators and would strengthen the criminal justice response to some of the most serious crimes in our society. Children who experience sexual exploitation often carry that trauma throughout their life. Families are devastated. Communities are shaken. The consequences extend far beyond the immediate offence. Our justice system must respond accordingly. The legislation would also recognize that victims need support throughout the justice process. For many victims, the crime itself is only the beginning of a difficult journey. Participating in criminal proceedings can be intimidating, stressful and retraumatizing. The protecting victims act would expand access to testimonial aids and support measures to help victims and witnesses participate more fully in the justice process. The act would also expand access to support services for victims and witnesses. It would help make the justice system more accessible, more compassionate and more attuned to the needs of people who have already been through traumatic experiences. These reforms would help improve the experience of victims, while supporting the broader goal of ensuring that justice is both done and seen to be done. Yesterday, some members of the House voted against the protecting victims act at report stage. That was their decision, but they will have to explain to Canadians why they opposed legislation that would create a new offence of coercive control, strengthen protections for children and victims and restore minimum mandatory penalties for serious child sexual offences. For our part, we are proud to support the legislation. We are proud to support victims, we are proud to support survivors, and we are proud to support safer communities. At the end of the day, the questions before us are straightforward: Do we believe victims deserve stronger protections? Do we believe children deserve greater safeguards against exploitation? Do we believe survivors deserve to be heard? Do we believe our laws should evolve to meet emerging threats? Do we believe Parliament should act when change is needed? I believe that the answer to all these questions is yes, and that is why I encourage everyone in this place to support the bill at third reading.

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Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal 9:05 p.m.

“This bill sounds good. I think the Conservatives should vote for it. If they vote against it, they must not care about victims. I want this bill to pass so our society will be better and healthier.”

Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:05 p.m.

“This government wants to keep people safe. We already did many things to help with that. This bill will help victims and the police. I want everyone to vote for it.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I always appreciate the parliamentary secretary's questions. The goal of the current government is for people to both be safe and feel safe, and for communities to be safer. That is why the government brought forward an ambitious agenda of criminal reforms that would make it tougher for bad people and repeat offenders to get bail, would make sure victims of hate crimes have better access to police tools to prosecute those hate crimes, and, in this case, would make sure victims are protected, particularly women and children, who, in many different instances, disproportionately bear the threat of coercive control or exploitation. The bill is an important piece of the tool kit, a tool in the tool kit for police and prosecutors. It is important for victims and other Canadians, and I encourage everyone to get on board and vote for the bill.

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Kelly DeRidder

Conservative 9:15 p.m.

“If that bill was really supposed to protect victims, why did the Liberals put in a special loophole to let judges go below the mandatory minimum penalties?”

Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“Don't listen to him. Our bill brings back mandatory minimums the way they're supposed to work. Conservatives say they want tough on crime, but they twist my words and fearmonger about reasonable reforms. I'm here to defend a balanced approach to sentencing, and I want the public to see through their games.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is no reasonable way that the bill can be interpreted as making mandatory minimums optional. What the bill would do is prevent courts from striking down minimum mandatory sentences based on hypotheticals. This should be exactly the type of bill Conservatives would support. Conservatives have railed against what the courts have done to strike down minimum mandatory sentences based on hypotheticals. I refer to the Senneville decision last year. This bill would restore minimum mandatory sentences and prevent courts from doing what was done in Senneville, by allowing courts to assess only the individual before them and not to strike down the entire category based on one hypothetical situation. The hon. member should read the bill again.

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Marie-Hélène Gaudreau

Bloc Québécois 9:15 p.m.

“Those Conservative obstructionists wasted everyone's time in committee. Look at me supporting the bill and being reasonable. Why won't the Conservatives stop playing games and get on board?”

Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I'm just going to ignore those pesky Conservatives. Why can't they see this bill is good for everyone? They're just wasting time trying to stop our bill to make communities safer.”

Hon. Bardish Chagger

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I wish the previous speaker had just talked about the bill more. That way Canadians would know what's in it.”

Anthony Housefather

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I want to outlaw fake nude pictures of people. We need a new law because technology keeps changing.”

Giovanna Mingarelli

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I want the protecting victims act to pass. It will modernize the criminal justice system. It has four pillars: tackling gender-based and intimate partner violence, protecting children from predators, strengthening victims' rights, and addressing court delays and system integrity. In my riding, the government spent more than $17 million on affordable housing for women fleeing violence.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about an issue that demands not only our highest attention but also our sustained and collective action: violence against women and girls, and the protection of victims and survivors across Canada. Violence against women is not abstract. It is not rare. It is not confined to headlines or statistics. It is happening in our communities, in our neighbourhoods and too often behind closed doors. It affects women of all ages, backgrounds and regions, including in my riding of of Prescott—Russell—Cumberland. This is why the protecting victims act would represent one of the most significant and necessary updates to Canada's criminal justice system in generations. While broad in scope, the legislation can be clearly understood through four core pillars: first, tackling gender-based and intimate partner violence; second, protecting children from predators; third, strengthening victims' rights; and fourth, addressing court delays and strengthening system integrity. Together, these reforms would modernize the Criminal Code to respond to contemporary threats, intervene earlier to prevent violence and ensure that the justice system works faster, more fairly and more compassionately for victims and survivors. Gender-based violence is rarely an isolated act. It is more of a cycle of control, fear and intimidation. This bill recognizes coercive and controlling behaviour, strengthens offences related to criminal harassment and modernizes the offence of non-consensual distribution of an intimate image to reflect the real harm caused by online sexual violence. It also recognizes the most tragic outcome of this violence by classifying femicide as first-degree murder, sending a clear message. Hate crimes and gender-based crimes will face the full extent of the law. Children face growing risks in a digital world where predators increasingly use technology to exploit and harm. Police-reported child sexual abuse and exploitation offences are now more than 12 times higher than in 2008. This legislation would strengthen protections by expanding child luring offences and sextortion offences, addressing youth recruitment and restoring mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious child sexual offences, with a safety valve to ensure just and constitutional sentences. It would send a clear message: Crimes against children will always be treated with the utmost seriousness. Justice is not just about convictions. It is also about how victims are treated at every step of the process. Too many survivors feel invisible, experience delays and are retraumatized by complex procedures. This bill strengthens the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights by building a trauma-informed, victim-centred justice system. It affirms victims' rights to respect and fairness, ensures the proactive disclosure of information, expands access to testimonial aids and clarifies victims' right to submit impact statements throughout the sentencing, parole and correctional system stages. It also improves information sharing so that victims are not left in the dark about decisions that affect their safety. Delays in the justice system have serious consequences. Too often, cases involving sexual assault and violent crime collapse before they are ever heard. The protecting victims act would respond directly by requiring that courts consider alternatives before dismissing cases for delay, modernizing how unreasonable delay is assessed and streamlining procedures in sexual offence trials. It would also expand the use of alternative and restorative measures where appropriate and where public safety is not at risk, ensuring accountability while preserving fairness. The urgency of this legislation cannot be overstated. In 2024 alone, 187 women were violently killed in Canada, which is nearly one woman every two days. Behind every number is a life lost, a family devastated and a community forever changed. Victims continue to face barriers, retraumatization, a lack of information, procedural complexity and delays that erode confidence in the justice system. National inquiries, provincial inquests and the national action plan to end gender-based violence have all called for stronger protections, earlier interventions and a more reliable justice process. This legislation would answer those calls. Laws are important, but what happens on the ground is just as important. In my riding, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, organizations like Maison Interlude show us what concrete, effective support looks like. For over 40 years, Maison Interlude has placed women who are victims of domestic violence and their children at the heart of its mission. Thanks to the leadership of pioneering feminists and the dedication of its staff, Maison Interlude has become a true lifeline for families fleeing violence. That is why, last November, I was proud to announce, on behalf of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, more than $17 million in federal funding through the affordable housing fund to support the construction of 35 safe housing units in Embrun. This second-stage housing project will provide women and children fleeing violence with a safe, stable, and supportive living environment, an essential bridge between emergency shelter and long-term self-sufficiency. Each resident will receive personalized support to rebuild her life, regain her independence, and plan for a safer future. We will not only provide these women with a roof over their heads; we will offer them the stability and dignity they deserve. This is how policies come to life. This is how justice becomes tangible. The protecting victims act is about accountability. It is about prevention, and above all, it is about dignity. It builds on earlier reforms and represents the next major step in strengthening safety and justice for Canadians. It reflects a clear commitment to protecting women, children and all victims of violence, in law, in practice and in our communities. As we work to build Canada strong, we must ensure that strength is measured not only by economic independence, but also by how we protect the most vulnerable among us. I urge all members of the House to support this legislation and to stand with victims and survivors across Canada.

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Marie-Hélène Gaudreau

Bloc Québécois 9:15 p.m.

“Why didn't you vote for our amendment? It was good. It would have improved legal support.”

Giovanna Mingarelli

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I want to say our bill is already good enough. We don't need to change it to help the provinces more.”

Stephanie Kusie

Conservative 9:15 p.m.

“I don't think Canada is safer because there were four shootings in Calgary. I want to blame that on the Liberal government.”

Giovanna Mingarelli

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I admit there is a problem and more needs to be done. I want you to think this bill will help even though I can't say how. I want you to keep re-electing us to try.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will be honest. So much more has to be done to protect women and children from violence and from domestic violence and abuse. There is no question that more needs to be done. This bill is bringing forward and would essentially be providing a generational approach to reforming the Criminal Code to do, as much as possible, more than has been done in the past generation to support these issues. It never stops. We have to continue addressing the issues as they evolve, as technology evolves, as the judicial systems evolve and as instances of violence evolve. We have to keep going, but I do see in this legislation that the most we could do would be done, and that does not stop today.

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Abdelhaq Sari

Liberal 9:15 p.m.

“I want to cheer for a part of this bill. I hope if I talk about helping municipalities and police, and say it will protect victims, that will make it popular.”

Giovanna Mingarelli

Liberal 9:30 p.m.

“I want you to know this bill does many good things. We will change laws to fight violence and help victims. We modernize laws to stop new threats. The justice system will be faster and fairer. This bill helps everyone.”

Jeff Kibble

Conservative 9:30 p.m.

“I want to hurry up and bash you over the head with the worst-case scenario.”

Giovanna Mingarelli

Liberal 9:30 p.m.

“I want to make people feel good. Talking is hard.”

What they said. What they meant.

Recent debates

Protecting Victims Act

Anthony Housefather

Anthony Housefather

Anthony Housefather

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Anthony Housefather

Kelly DeRidder

Anthony Housefather

Marie-Hélène Gaudreau

Anthony Housefather

Hon. Bardish Chagger

Anthony Housefather

Giovanna Mingarelli

Marie-Hélène Gaudreau

Giovanna Mingarelli

Stephanie Kusie

Giovanna Mingarelli

Abdelhaq Sari

Giovanna Mingarelli

Jeff Kibble

Giovanna Mingarelli