SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 316

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 23, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • May/23/24 2:51:37 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am an ally and I am speaking up. I am speaking up about the epidemic of gender-based violence. I am speaking up about women having full control over their bodies and their reproductive rights. That includes the right to abortion and the right to free contraception. When we as men make spaces for women's voices, we not only learn but we also help create better, more inclusive policies. I urge every man in the chamber, from every single party, to stand up and to be an ally. The fight for gender equality in this country is a fight for all of us.
107 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • May/23/24 3:11:03 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the charter protects our right to free expression. It protects our right to worship whom we choose. It protects our right to equality. It protects our right to be presumed innocent. If we stand for freedom, we do not get to cherry-pick which rights and freedoms we defend, but that is exactly what the Leader of the Opposition has said he would do. He has openly declared that he would use the notwithstanding clause to trample on these very charter rights. No federal leader has ever done this in Canadian history. Our government enacted the charter, our government stands by the charter, and we will always defend the charter rights and freedoms of every Canadian.
118 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • May/23/24 7:00:26 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party formed majority government in 2015.
10 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:01:29 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the comments from the member for Fundy Royal, what I would say and have said previously in this chamber is that upon my initial appointment, I had not yet received briefings with respect to crime statistics. Since that time, in late August and early September, I received statistical briefings on violent crime statistics, and they have, indeed, gone up in Canada.
66 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:02:34 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, once again I appreciate the first question and the tone, but not the tone of the last two questions. I never used the term about things being fictitious, etc. I asked for empirical evidence. I have been given the empirical evidence, and that empirical evidence demonstrates that violent crime has gone up.
54 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:03:25 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, what I can indicate to Canadians is that my job as Minister of Justice is to work to keep Canadians safe in their communities and in their homes. I understand that violent crime has gone up. That is why I am taking measures to, indeed, do exactly that. Some of the measures that I have taken include changes to the bail system and proposing different penalties and tougher penalties for things like automobile theft.
76 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:04:12 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-21 
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the member for Fundy Royal has decided to raise issues that relate to gun crimes, because I can indicate to Canadians watching this evening that we take gun violence very seriously. That is why we have taken steps with initiatives such as an assault rifle ban and a national ban and freeze on the sale of handguns. That was done in legislation in Bill C-21, which the member voted against.
77 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:05:17 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-21 
Mr. Speaker, I would indicate to the member opposite that when he and his party vote against initiatives that keep Canadians safe, I think Canadians question the sincerity of questions like the one he just put to me. Bill C-21, which I mentioned, talks about a national freeze on the sale, purchase and transfer of handguns. He voted against that. It also increased penalties for firearms trafficking. He voted against that. It also created new offences to help stop ghost guns. He voted against that. If there was sincerity on the part of the member opposite with respect to tackling the pressing issue of gun violence, I would presume the voting pattern would have been the opposite.
118 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
Mr. Speaker, there were a number of points in there, and I will respond to all of them. The first point would be that in respect of Canadians' safety, what I would put to him is that Bill C-21, which he voted against, also dealt with intimate partner violence and things like red flag laws. Those have now become law, no thanks to him and his party and their voting pattern. The red flag laws actually allow the police to intercept firearms from the home of someone who is deemed to be a threat to their partner or to other individuals. That is called keeping Canadians safe, so I reject outright the premise of his earlier question. With respect to bail, he will be aware that bail is a determination that is made by actors in our justice system, including justices of the peace. We have taken steps to strengthen the bail system to keep Canadians safe. On that piece, I will credit the member. He did vote in favour of Bill C-48, which deals with serious violent repeat offenders, on whom there is now a reverse onus for procuring bail. That is a step in the right direction in keeping Canadians safe.
205 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:09:29 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-63 
Mr. Speaker, I find this line of questioning quite fascinating, given that the main charter issue that is at issue in Bill C-63 deals with very sensitive issues about the protection of freedom of speech, which is protected under section 2(b). What I will do is always maintain my oath under the Constitution to uphold the Constitution and people's charter rights. This individual works under a leader who has brandished the idea of using the notwithstanding clause to deprive people of their charter rights. Section 2(b) is subject to the notwithstanding clause. If we are talking about who is actually committed to protecting people's freedoms, including freedom of speech, people on that side of the House should be looking at themselves in the mirror.
129 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • May/23/24 7:10:21 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, what I can indicate is that auto theft is on the rise in Canada right now.
18 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:10:35 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that auto theft is on the rise in Canada as we speak.
17 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:10:53 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that car theft is on the rise in Canada. That is why we are taking aggressive steps to address it, including in the fall economic statement, including in the budget and including in the national action plan to deal with auto theft, which was announced on Monday.
52 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:11:22 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the number I am being provided with from officials is 105,673.
14 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:11:43 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the member for Thornhill has a calculator and can do that calculation.
17 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:11:55 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that car thefts have gone up, and the number of car thefts in Canada in 2022 is 105,673 vehicles. If the member is committed to combatting auto theft, what I would put to her is that she should get behind the fall economic statement and budget 2024, which deal with auto theft initiatives.
59 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:12:34 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the number of car thefts is up in various provinces around the country. I do not have the statistics for Ontario.
26 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:13:04 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am in contact with law enforcement in Toronto, including the TPS, and they have advised me that car thefts are up. I do not have the specific quantum. What I can reflect to the member opposite is that we are taking aggressive steps to deal with car theft in Toronto and throughout the country.
57 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:13:32 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have never had my personal car stolen.
10 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 7:13:48 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the previous minister's car, which was provided to him in his capacity as minister, was taken from him twice.
26 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border