SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 118

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 26, 2022 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 118 - Oct/26/22
Hon. David Lametti (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • Oct/26/22 4:52:14 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-9 
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fundy Royal, and my critic, for his question. It is an important one. Obviously, our hearts go out to the Bosmas, to the victims of the Quebec City mosque massacre and others who have been impacted by this ruling by the Supreme Court. I remind the hon. member that, as the Attorney General, we defended the previous legislation in front of the Supreme Court, allowing judges the discretion to have consecutive sentences and building our argument on that. That argument was rejected. It is not that the sentencing was changed; these people are still serving consecutive sentences, but what the court has added is that there is a possibility of parole at various points in time. I would remind the House that eligibility for parole is not the same as parole. A life sentence is a long time, and a parole hearing, yes, is still there. I know that has a negative impact on the families if they choose to come and testify again. It was a nine to nothing decision, which was a serious statement by the Supreme Court of Canada. We will work with victims to support them. We have recently appointed a new ombudsperson to help, although the office remained open during the period of time we were searching to fill that role, and I think we can move forward in supporting victims, but recognizing the very clear ruling of the Supreme Court.
244 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 118 - Oct/26/22
Hon. David Lametti
  • Oct/26/22 5:00:18 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-9 
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his work on the justice committee and on justice issues generally. I recognize the sincere place from which this question comes. I have always said publicly that I am never closed to a good idea. That being said, the margin for manoeuvre in a nine to nothing Supreme Court of Canada decision, which is very clear, is pretty minimal. There are a lot of needles that would have to be threaded in order for that kind of proposition to be possible.
89 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 118 - Oct/26/22
Hon. David Lametti
  • Oct/26/22 5:17:40 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-9 
Mr. Speaker, again, I salute the sincere place that question comes from. It is important we do our best. I have already mentioned there has been a large degree of agreement on a lot of the things we have brought forward on the justice agenda, from the Conservative Party, from the NDP, from the Bloc Québécois and from the Greens, and I am proud of that. One of the most formative experiences in my life was clerking for a judge at the Supreme Court of Canada, Justice Peter Cory. He remains one of my touchstones every day, in terms of how I conduct myself and what I aspire to. I think that is the kind of inspiration that should push all of us, I hope, toward passing this kind of legislation. People will tell us that Justice Cory was the most ethical human being who ever walked this earth, and I agree with that. If this legislation, in any way, shape or form, helps us to have more Peter Corys out there, then I think the world would be a better place.
186 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border