Thank you, Mr. Comartin.
Basically, my ruling on this is that Bill C-2 amends the Criminal Code to provide for escalating minimum penalties for offences involving the use of a firearm. This amendment proposes to allow for the court to exercise its discretion and select a lesser punishment than the minimum provided for by the bill.
As House of Commons Procedure and Practice states, “An amendment to a bill that was referred to a committee after second reading is out of order if it is beyond the scope and principle of the bill.” In my opinion, the introduction of the concept of discretion is actually contrary to the principle of Bill C-2, and is therefore inadmissible.
On the ruling, Mr. Murphy.