Madam Chair, I have a problem with that. We all understand that we're creating new law. But this is not a civil matter. We're talking about convicting someone of an indictable offence and sending them to prison.
I was prepared to vote in favour of Bill C‑332. We've heard a lot of testimony about individuals who try to wrongly control their partner. I find these behaviours appalling, and I think they should be punished by the Criminal Code.
That said, the list being introduced here is different from what was in Bill C‑332. I feel like I'm repeating a bit of what our colleague, Mr. Moore, was saying earlier, and I don't want to speak for no reason. However, paragraph 264.01(2)(c) says “engaging in any other conduct — including conduct listed in any of the following subparagraphs”. Those provisions will be used to determine whether a situation exists that must be penalized. The list that follows this provision is so long that an individual who tells their partner that they'll commit suicide if the partner doesn't go on vacation with them, for example, could be charged with attempting to control that person and be sent to prison.
We've already heard from a number of expert witnesses, but if they came back to talk to us about this element, they might be able to convince me. I'm among those who are convinced that controlling and coercive behaviour is senseless and is a problem that needs to be addressed. Perhaps everyone here is convinced of that. However, I'm very concerned about the list in this new wording. We have a very important decision to make here. We're changing criminal law and creating new offences. Our role is to legislate. In that sense, we must be prudent, but I feel that we really aren't being prudent.
I believe in the good faith of today's witnesses and of the government, of course, but I'm very concerned when I see this kind of wording and I don't have the opportunity to find out more from the experts who work with victims of controlling and coercive behaviour and with perpetrators every day. We have to look at both sides. We have be prudent and diligent. Right now, I feel we're rushing things, and I cannot condone that.
Nobody has been able to give me a single example in which a person could be convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour because they threatened to commit suicide or self-harm.
If no such example comes to mind as we're creating this legislation, then what will the courts end up doing with it? It's not reasonable for us to proceed like this.