Bill C-236

Addressing the Continuing Victimization of Homicide Victims' Families Act

An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Prisons and Reformatories Act

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to add as an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes and as a reason to delay parole the fact that a person who is convicted of certain offences refuses to provide persons in authority with information respecting the location of bodies or remains. It also amends the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Prisons and Reformatories Act to add that fact as a consideration in the making of certain decisions under those Acts.

Public Safety

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Edmonton police have sadly announced that 14-year-old Samuel Bird from Paul First Nation is now presumed dead months after he was declared missing. This child was murdered and police believe his killers have hidden his remains west of Edmonton. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

Samuel's case is not an isolated one. In 2010, Lyle and Marie McCann were also murdered. Their killer has been brought to justice but has refused to reveal the location of his victims' remains.

I introduced Bill C-236 in honour of Lyle and Marie. It would empower judges and parole boards to hold killers and their accomplices to account when they are known to have withheld information on the location of their victims' remains. Families have a right to give their loved ones a proper funeral, and those who would deny them this fundamental right must be held to account.

We owe it to Lyle, Marie, Samuel and their families to pass Bill C-236.