Justice Committee on April 20th, 2009

Evidence of meeting #14 for Justice and Human Rights in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was organizations.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (organized crime and protection of justice system participants)

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Lynn Barr-Telford Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Ross Bingley Bureau Commander, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, Ontario Provincial Police

Randall Richmond Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions, Organized Crime Prosecutions Bureau, Department of Justice (Quebec)

Jocelyn Latulippe Co-Chair, Organized Crime Committee and Chief Inspector, Sûreté du Québec, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police

Craig Grimes Senior Analyst, Courts Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada

Matthew Taylor Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

6:15 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

I understand that you are, because the chair is moving much too fast.

In clauses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the bill, it mentions notification from the prosecutor with reference to section 727 of the Criminal Code.

If you do not know, it does not matter, but I was under the impression that you were at the top of the class.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

We're on clause 17.

6:15 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

It goes back to clauses 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. It says that, in order to impose a harsher mandatory minimum sentence, the notification provided for in section 727 of the Criminal Code must be given.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

It is the notification that the Crown has to give before...

6:15 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

That is what I am asking.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Fine, let me explain it to you.

6:15 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

I would be very surprised if you have an answer, Mr. Petit.

6:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Order, please. Let us have one person at a time.

Were you able to answer the question?

6:15 p.m.

Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

Matthew Taylor

I understood the question as relating to a reference to section 727 of the Criminal Code.

You are referring to previous convictions. Section 727 of the Criminal Code requires a prosecutor to give notice if they intend to seek a higher mandatory minimum penalty by virtue of a previous conviction. That section still applies to the new offence. What we're doing here is amending existing offences to include this new idea of discharging a firearm while being reckless to the list of serious offences with firearms. These amendments don't alter section 727 and don't impact the requirements of the prosecutor to give notice if the prosecutor intends to seek a higher penalty by reason of a previous conviction.

Is that what you're getting at?

6:20 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

Thank you for that information.

(Clauses 17 to 20 inclusive agreed to)

6:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Ed Fast

Shall the title carry?

6:20 p.m.

Bloc