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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
Madam Chair, yesterday the House of Commons voted to defeat Bill C-381. There is obviously no evidence that mandatory minimums work as a deterrent. This was in the case of extortion in the Criminal Code. There is even evidence that they might hinder the work of a prosecutor to use plea bargaining to obtain evidence for the arrest of other members of a criminal organization. However, there are legitimate fears among the South Asian community regarding the increase in extortion from criminal organizations. How the minister is dealing with this particularly sensitive issue? How will he be directing his department's resources to address these growing fears?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:02:22 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-70 
Madam Chair, extortion is a Criminal Code violation currently and there is already a mandatory minimum penalty that applies to repeat extortion with a firearm. The mandatory minimum is seven years. The maximum penalty for extortion is life imprisonment. With respect to not tolerating extortion, what we are doing is looking closely and trying to work with law enforcement officials to understand the nature of the problem, particularly in the South Asian community in B.C. and in Ontario, to target this in a more robust manner. I would also encourage the member to look at what we are doing with Bill C-70, the foreign interference legislation that we recently tabled in this House, which looks at organized criminality that is being orchestrated by criminal elements that are operating abroad but manifesting here.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, CPC)
  • May/23/24 8:30:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, does the minister believe extortion is a problem in Canada, yes or no?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • May/23/24 8:30:27 p.m.
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Madam Chair, extortion is on the rise in Canada, and it needs to be addressed.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:30:33 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the minister admits it is a problem. How many times was extortion mentioned in budget 2024? I would like just the number.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:30:48 p.m.
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Madam Chair, how many times is extortion mentioned in budget 2024? I would like just the number.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:31:02 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I have indicated that extortion is an issue that needs to be addressed in Canada.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:31:08 p.m.
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Madam Chair, has extortion gotten worse since 2015, yes or no?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:31:14 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the rise in extortion, largely due to organized criminality, has seen a recent increase.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:31:21 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the minister said it is recent. How many extortion cases were there in 2021? I would like just the number.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:31:30 p.m.
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Madam Chair, there were 7,671 charges completed for extortion—
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:31:39 p.m.
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Madam Chair, in 2021, how many extortion cases were there? I want just the number.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:31:47 p.m.
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Madam Chair, there were 6,900. How many extortion cases were there in 2022? I would like just the number.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:31:59 p.m.
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Madam Chair, there were 9,700 cases of extortion in 2022. That is a 40% increase. Have they doubled since 2012, yes or no?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:32:10 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the number that I have, as I have indicated repeatedly, is 7,671 charges completed for extortion between 2012 and—
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:32:20 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-5 
Madam Chair, the Liberal Bill C-5 made it easier for criminals to commit extortion with a gun. It makes it easier for them to get out of jail. Have cases of extortion gone up since 2022, yes or no?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:32:32 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as I have indicated, extortion is on the rise. We have a mandatory minimum penalty for a repeat offender who uses a weapon for extortion. We are ensuring that extortion is being taken seriously because it is on the rise.
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:32:45 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-5 
Madam Chair, Bill C-5 took away mandatory minimums for criminals committing extortion with a gun. Why?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan
  • May/23/24 8:33:03 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-5 
Minister, Bill C-5 repealed mandatory minimums for criminals committing extortion with a gun. Why?
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Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:33:15 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the hon. member should know that is categorically incorrect, and I encourage him to read the Criminal Code. If someone commits an extortion with a prohibited firearm, that person is subject to a mandatory minimum.
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