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Justice

Question Period focused on justice, mainly parole hearings and bail. Conservatives said victims’ families are forced to attend parole hearings every two years, citing the families of Constable Todd Baylis and of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy ahead of Paul Bernardo’s next hearing, and asked the government to support Conservative proposals to lengthen the interval and to tighten bail rules, citing a Sainte-Foy case where suspects were released and re-arrested. Government members, including Ministers Anandasangaree, Sahota and Fraser, said they have passed legislation to strengthen bail and sentencing and support victims, noted they have met with the Toronto Police Association and officers’ families, and said they make changes carefully so laws will withstand constitutional challenge; they also said Conservatives have voted against the government’s public safety bills. Conservatives replied that the government has had a decade to fix the system and has rejected opposition bills instead.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

15 statements

Frank Caputo

Conservative
“Liberal parole policy is out of control. Victims' families have to attend parole hearings every two years because the Liberals voted down our bill to make it every five years. The family of Constable Todd Baylis and the Toronto Police Association want parole reform. I want the Liberals to change their position and support it.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Liberal parole is out of control. The family of Constable Todd Baylis and the Toronto Police Association recently asked for parole reform. The victim’s family has to go to parole hearings every two years. A Conservative bill would have changed that to every five years, and yet the Liberals voted against it. Will the Liberals listen to the family of Constable Baylis and the Toronto Police Association and do right, when they have previously done wrong?

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Gary Anandasangaree

Liberal
“I want to honour Todd Baylis, a police officer killed on duty in 1994. Our government protects victims and makes our justice system stronger. We passed laws to make bail and sentencing tougher and to protect victims' rights. I am working with the Toronto police union to keep making our laws stronger.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to remember Todd Baylis, who was killed in the line of duty in 1994. His bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Our government is committed to strengthening our criminal justice system and protecting victims’ rights. That is why we passed Bill C-14, to strengthen bail and sentencing, as well as Bill C-16, to strengthen victims’ rights. I continue to engage with the Toronto Police Association to ensure that we strengthen our laws.

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Frank Caputo

Conservative
“I want the minister to answer yes or no. Will he meet with me, the Toronto police union, and Constable Baylis's family?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what an out-of-touch answer. Unlike that minister, I was a parole officer. Unlike that minister, I attended Constable Baylis’s killer’s parole hearing. Unlike that minister, I voted to change the hearing interval from two years to five years. If that minister wants to put his money where his mouth is, I have a proposal. Why does he not join me, Constable Baylis’s family and the Toronto Police Association? Let us have a meeting. He can look them in the eye and say exactly what he just said to the House. Will he have that meeting, yes or no?

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Gary Anandasangaree

Liberal
“The opposition should not play politics with this issue. I have already met with the Toronto Police Association several times, and I have met with their lawyer.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the issue is being politicized. I have met with the Toronto Police Association on a number of occasions. I have also met with their counsel— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Gary Anandasangaree

Liberal
“Victims have the right to be heard and to attend these hearings. We are working with the Toronto police union to make sure our laws keep all Canadians safe.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that this matter is being politicized. What I will say is that victims absolutely deserve their right to be heard, as well as to be in attendance at these important hearings. We have been working with the Toronto Police Association. My commitment is to continue to work with them, to ensure that we have laws that reflect their needs but also to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.

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Arpan Khanna

Conservative
“Families of murder victims are forced to go through parole hearings every two years. Police groups and victims want this to stop. I want the government to meet with these families and change the parole laws.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Toronto Police Constable Todd Baylis was murdered in cold blood. His family lost him forever. Under the Liberals, that pain never ends. Every two years, they are forced to relive that nightmare, with another review, another hearing and more pain for that family. The police associations and the families are demanding action, but the Liberals are dragging their feet. Will they join us, stand up for the victims, meet the families and repeal Liberal parole?

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Gary Anandasangaree

Liberal
“This Sunday, families of police officers killed on the job will be in Ottawa. I look forward to meeting with them. Our government will always support police officers and their families.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will note that this Sunday, many families of those officers who have been killed in the line of duty will be here in Ottawa. I look forward to meeting with those family members and to express our continued solidarity with those who died in the line of duty. I will also take this opportunity, as Constable Jeff Smith is fighting for his life, to ensure and to reiterate our support for law enforcement on the front lines. We will always be there to support them and their families.

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Arpan Khanna

Conservative
“The Liberals caused our broken bail system and voted against our plan to fix it. Victims and police agree the system puts criminals ahead of victims. I want the government to fix this and protect Canadians.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberals are all talk and no results.”

    Said 13 times by 12 members since September 21.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives stand with Jeff Smith’s family as well. The Liberals are all talk, and there are no results. They created this mess. When Conservatives tried fixing it with Bill C-243, they voted it down. The brother of Todd Baylis said, “[The] killer’s rights are more important than mine, my dead brother’s, yours, or anybody else’s.” The Toronto Police Association agrees that this is wrong. Conservatives agree that this is wrong, because it is our mission to keep Canadians safe. We stand with victims. We stand with our brave officers. When will they?

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Gary Anandasangaree

Liberal
“All members of Parliament support police officers and victims of crime. Public safety is not a partisan competition, and no party cares about it more than the others.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, with great respect, what a disingenuous comment. All of us in this House, every single member of Parliament who was elected, stand with law enforcement, stand with victims and stand with those who have died in the line of duty. This is not a competition. We will ensure the safety and security of Canadians, and we will always stand with those on the front lines. It is shameful to suggest that one party stands with victims over another.

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Tony Baldinelli

Conservative
“Under current rules, murderers can ask for parole over and over. This forces victims' families to relive their pain. Conservatives proposed a bill to stop this, but the Liberals voted against it. Why are the Liberals protecting killers instead of victims' families?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal government’s parole regime, a murderer can ask for freedom again and again. Each hearing forces grieving families to relive the worst trauma of their lives. Paul Bernardo’s fourth chance at parole is approaching. Once again, the families of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy are being forced to relive this nightmare. Victims’ families and police are calling for parole reform. Conservatives proposed legislation to make it happen. The Liberals voted no. Why are the Liberals protecting repeat parole hearings for killers instead of protecting victims’ families?

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Ruby Sahota

Liberal
“We have worked hard to update our criminal laws over the last 15 months. We are careful to make sure our laws respect the Constitution and the courts. The Conservatives propose laws that the courts would strike down. We are open to changes, but we will make the ones that are right for Canada.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have been working aggressively and diligently to reform the Criminal Code of Canada over the last 15 months. However, we are very careful in making sure that we pass legislation in this House that will stand up to our Constitution and to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Conservatives believe in creating laws in this House, and confusing Canadians with laws, that are never going to withstand a charter challenge. We are open to making reforms, but we will make the reforms that are right for our country and for Canadians.

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Pierre Paul-Hus

Conservative
“Suspects in a Sainte-Foy shooting were released on bail and then arrested again. I want the Prime Minister to make bail rules stricter and keep violent suspects in jail to protect Canadians.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, in June, a 19-year-old woman in Sainte-Foy was shot after being mistaken for someone else. Two suspects were arrested and released on a promise to appear. They were recently rearrested, and a third suspect was apprehended earlier today. Will the Prime Minister tighten bail rules and keep people accused of violent crimes in jail when the safety of Canadians is at risk?

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Sean Fraser

Liberal
“Our bill is tough on serious crime and keeps violent criminals in prison. It also gives more support to victims and their families. We will listen to victims, police, and experts to keep communities safe.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is well aware that we introduced a bill to combat serious crime in our communities and to make the criminal justice system tougher on those who commit offences. We have not only put forward laws that are going to do more to keep violent offenders behind bars. We have also included stronger supports for participants and families when it comes to their role, when it comes to understanding the impact on those families and victims at parole hearings and transfers between different levels of security systems. We will work with victims to understand their concerns, and we will advance policies on the advice of experts and police to help keep communities safe.

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Pierre Paul-Hus

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canada was safe before 2015. Since then, the Liberals have ruined the justice system and done nothing to fix it. They always reject our bills on public safety. I want the Liberals to stop talking and take real action.”
Official Hansard

Talk, talk and more talk, Mr. Speaker. Before 2015, public safety in Canada was fine. Since 2015, the Liberals have made a complete mess of the criminal justice system. Since 2015, they have been saying that they are going to fix it, but absolutely nothing has been done. Conservatives have introduced a number of private members’ bills to address public safety issues in Canada. The Liberals always say no. When will the Liberals stop wasting time on empty talk and start taking real action to protect public safety?

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Sean Fraser

Liberal
“The Conservatives say they want to be tough on crime, but they vote against and delay our bills to keep communities safe. We are actually passing laws to protect victims. The Conservatives should vote for these safety measures.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Respect 94 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “the member cannot be serious”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member cannot be serious. The member had the opportunity not just to take action but even to offer his thoughts when it came to the bills that we put forward to help protect communities. What did he actually do? He voted against the measures to strengthen security in this country, and his entire caucus sought to delay the implementation of the very bills they have been calling for for years. We need some honesty in this House. We need some integrity in this House. We need words to match actions. On this side of the House, we will not only tell the story of how we are going to protect victims, but we will adopt the laws that will do so. If the Conservatives want to talk a big game on crime, the least they can do is vote for the measures to protect—

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