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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 316

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 23, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Alistair MacGregor
  • May/23/24 7:50:00 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I want to turn to the subject of criminal records. Twice the Liberal government has been asked, and twice it has not answered, whether and how it will meet its legal requirement to sequester the criminal records for simple possession of drugs for more than 250,000 Canadians. The legal deadline is coming this November, and Canadians are rightly asking whether they will be notified that their records have indeed been sequestered. I do not need to remind the House that these kinds of records for offences that are no longer offences impact the ability of people to seek employment or housing, or to travel abroad to visit loved ones. The records also disproportionately impact indigenous and racialized Canadians and those living in poverty. Could the minister please inform me as to how the government will meet the legal November deadline and inform the Canadians affected as to how they would know their criminal records have been sequestered?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:53:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the man who took the woman's life in front of her children in an elementary schoolyard was previously charged with domestic violence offences, released under a no-contact order and had active warrants against him. The minister wants to bring up guns. I will ask again: How was the woman murdered by a repeat offender who was out on warrants?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 9:21:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it would do so by entrenching a definition of hatred that has already been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada; by ensuring that hatred is identified and one's exposure to it is reduced via putting a responsibility on platforms; by ensuring that one can complain to the Canadian Human Rights Commission if one believes that one is the target of online hate speech; and by ensuring that the penalties for hatred, including the anti-Semitism and Islamophobia that were just mentioned by the member, are addressed with more significant penalties on summary conviction and on indictable offences. We have a scourge of hatred in this country, and we have to address it. That is what the bill would do.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 10:31:34 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-21 
Mr. Speaker, I just want to underscore that Bill C-21, which the member voted against, actually proposed to increase maximum penalties from 10 year of imprisonments to 14 years for firearms-related offences, including firearms smuggling and trafficking, which is a pressing issue not just in his riding but everywhere around the country.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 10:39:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what I am very concerned about is the use of firearms in offences and that is why we have taken significant action on assault rifles—
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Gord Johns
  • May/23/24 11:02:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, these are justice issues and they are justice issues for every member of Parliament, so he can also answer with his position and viewpoint as a member of Parliament, not just as a cabinet minister. How much does this government spend on policing drug offences versus investments in harm reduction and treatment and recovery?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Gord Johns
  • May/23/24 11:05:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Cowichan—Malahat—Langford asked this earlier. Twice the Liberal government has been asked, and twice it has not fully answered if and when it will meet the legal requirements to sequester the criminal records on simple possession of illicit drugs for more than 250,000 Canadians. The deadline is this November, and Canadians are rightly asking if they will be notified that their records have indeed been sequestered. These records for offences that are no longer offences in Canada under current laws impact people's ability to seek employment or housing and travel abroad to visit loved ones. These records also disproportionately impact indigenous and racialized Canadians, as well as those living in poverty. Could the minister please inform the House how the government will meet the legal November deadline and inform impacted Canadians of how they can know that their criminal records have been sequestered?
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