“I'm filling time with kind words, then saying the Liberals rejected our reasonable amendment to make judges consider a range of factors. I want to know why my colleague opposite thinks they did that.”
What they said. What they meant.
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A bill to change many criminal laws, mostly about gender-based violence, and amend several other acts too. Creates new crimes like 'coercive control' in intimate partner relationships. Changes rules around things like distributing sexual images. Strengthens penalties for some child sex crimes but also gives judges ways around mandatory minimums if they deem it 'cruel and unusual.' Conservatives focused on prison time in their speeches and accused the Liberals of going too soft. Liberals focused on the bill protecting victims.
“I want to sound like I care about victims. That makes me look good. But I'm really just trying to make the other party look bad.”
“I'm not sure that was very parliamentary. But I do agree the Conservatives seem to be looking for reasons not to support this bill. They keep bringing up mandatory minimums instead. But I think our system is the best we have. And I'm not sure harsher sentences actually work better than rehab. Do you have any evidence they do?”