Bill C-379

Combating Motor Vehicle Theft Act

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (motor vehicle theft)

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to address motor vehicle theft by increasing the minimum term of imprisonment in the case of a third or subsequent motor vehicle theft offence, providing that primary consideration must be given to the fact that the offence was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization and restricting the possibility for a person convicted of a motor vehicle theft offence of being subject to a conditional sentence order.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Thank you for that, Commissioner.

To follow up on that, you also stated, “We want to stop the revolving door of people coming back out on our streets and doing it again.... We want to have them locked up, we want to have them in jail.”

Conservatives currently have a private member's bill, Bill C-379, which would create a mandatory minimum of three years in jail for those who have stolen a motor vehicle three times. Just this past week, we had a deputy chief from Toronto and a deputy chief from Peel, and they both agreed that this would be a good deterrent if it passed.

Do you feel that Bill C-379 would be a good deterrent to help with car theft and the revolving door issue?

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to all the witnesses for being here today.

I'd like to ask my first question of both chiefs who are here virtually.

Recently my Conservative colleague MP Hoback introduced Bill C-379, which would implement tougher penalties for repeat car thieves across Canada by bringing in a mandatory minimum of three years in jail for those who have stolen a motor vehicle three times.

Do you think this legislation, if implemented, would assist your officers in putting and keeping repeat car thieves behind bars?

Combating Motor Vehicle Theft Act

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-379, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (motor vehicle theft).

Madam Speaker, I think that people in my constituency and right across Canada are going to be very happy with this motion. This is something the Conservatives are going to take action on.

Today, I introduce my bill, an act to amend the Criminal Code for motor vehicle theft. My bill would toughen the penalties for repeat car thieves who are acting on behalf of organized crime. While Liberals attend photo ops and meetings, Conservatives are going to take action on this issue and show results for our constituents. I look forward to support on this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)