Bill C-242 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (inflicting torture)

This bill is from the 42nd Parliament, 1st session, which ended in September 2019.

Sponsor

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Dead, as of Nov. 29, 2016
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to create the offence, for a private individual, of inflicting torture. It also amends other provisions of the Act as a consequence.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-242s:

C-242 (2022) Law Reuniting Families Act

C-242 (2020) An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness, injury or quarantine)

C-242 (2013) An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act (increase of allowance for survivors and children)

C-242 (2011) An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act (increase of allowance for survivors and children)

C-242 (2010) An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (percentage of insurable earnings payable to claimant)

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

February 26th, 2016 / 12:10 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (inflicting torture).

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to table my private member's bill, an act to amend the Criminal Code, inflicting torture.

Article 5 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. The UN Convention Against Torture, which Canada ratified in 1987, is in place for this very purpose. However, the Canadian Criminal Code falls short of addressing this major issue.

While a torture offence exists in the code under section 269.1, it only addresses acts perpetrated by state officials. When private individuals, acting outside of state authority, carry out equivalent acts that amount to torture, they are normally charged with aggravated assault. This does not properly reflect the human rights abuses that have been committed.

Private acts of torture have occurred in Canada and remain an issue in need of attention. These acts far exceed the offence of aggravated assault. This bill attempts to rectify the issue.

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