SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 94

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 22, 2022 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 94 - Jun/22/22
Hon. Marci Ien (Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Lib.)
  • Jun/22/22 8:48:53 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-28 
Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to express my unequivocal support for Bill C-28. What I would like to do is focus on what this legislation means for the women and youth who are disproportionately impacted by violence, and more specifically, intoxicated violence. The extreme intoxication we are talking about is not about being drunk and not about being high. The Supreme Court has clearly said that drunkenness is not a defence in crimes of violence, including sexual assault. That is really important, so I am going to repeat it: Drunkenness is not a defence in crimes of violence, including sexual assault. In recent years, Canadians have deepened their understanding of the harmful social norms and influences that contribute to gender-based violence. They are also aware that our justice and social systems often fail victims and survivors. When we take an even closer look at this issue, we see that indigenous women and girls, racialized people and LGBTQ2+ people experience gender-based violence and sexual violence more than any other segments of society. All Canadians deserve a justice system that protects them. Everyone, especially those who are most at risk, deserves to feel protected from violence. These ideals lie at the core of the legislation that is before us this evening. In May, the Supreme Court of Canada's ruling essentially created a gap in Canadian law, a gap that can enable perpetrators to avoid conviction if they are able to prove that extreme intoxication rendered them not responsible for the crimes they committed. Bill C-28 aims to close this gap. As mentioned, the Supreme Court ruling created a gap. Unfortunately, that gap was quickly filled with misinformation, so—
284 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border