Justice Committee on Dec. 9th, 2025

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Absolutely, Mr. Chair. I think I laid out quite clearly how this is relevant to the discussion.

There's a laudable goal in Bill C-9, which was undermined by the Liberals' decision to remove the religious defence. Mr. Lawton sought to amend it by adding clarification on that. Mr. Brock's subamendment then sought to further clarify and expand the scope of it. That's the laudable goal, the faulty premise of Bill C-9 and their misplaced priorities in not wanting to deal with Mr. Lawton's amendment and Mr. Brock's subamendment.

I would suggest that's directly relevant if—

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

We're happy to vote on both of them immediately.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Carry on, Mr. Mantle.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

We can get to a vote after members have had the ability to express their opinions on that. They can laugh all they want, and if their laugh is suggesting that religious freedoms are not an important—

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Nobody's laughing at that, Mr. Mantle.

There are procedural shenanigans going on around the table. We all know that and anybody watching knows that. Telling people that they're laughing over some substantive issue is not accurate.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, you can't be the ref of—

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Carry on, please, Mr. Mantle.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You can't make substantive, opinion-oriented comments.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

You can't talk right now.

Carry on, Mr. Mantle.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

I still have the floor, Mr. Chair, so I'll continue.

I respect you as chair, and I'm still new in this place and learning about the role of the chair, so I accept that, but I would suggest that it's not the chair's role to police the content of speech in the committee. Obviously, relevance is important, and I've explained how I think it's relevant. If you disagree, you're free to do that as the chair and use what power you have, but I suggest it's relevant, and I'm going to continue with my other points.

I'm going back to the third point of my remarks today, which is about misplaced priorities. I am suggesting that the Liberal government has misplaced priorities by not wanting to talk about bail and sentencing reform, which they have said is an important issue. Frankly, it's only because we have been raising it and Canadians have been raising it in response to these outrageous acts of violent offenders being let out on bail and committing horrendous violence again. Instead of wanting to talk about that, we are stuck on the Liberals' Bill C-9, an attempt to curtail and suppress religious expression and sincerely held religious beliefs, including those from religious texts. I think that's a serious misplacing of priorities.

In summary, I think Bill C-9 had a laudable goal, but unfortunately, it was brought forward on a faulty premise. In fact, it will not achieve the goal the government says they hope to achieve. Instead, they are moving to misplace their priorities by talking about this issue rather than bail and sentencing reform.

Mr. Chair, given that misplaced priority, I would like to move the following motion: That, given the Minister of Justice is in Ottawa today, the committee invite him to appear immediately in relation to Bill C-14 with respect to bail and sentencing, followed immediately by clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-14, followed by clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-9.

If they are serious about what they say, Liberal members will support that and bring the minister here today.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

The motion is out of order, Mr. Mantle.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Mr. Brock, go ahead.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

I'm asking for unanimous consent for the following: That, given the Minister of Justice is in Ottawa today, the committee invite him to appear immediately in relation to Bill C-14—

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

You cannot do this on a point of order, Mr. Brock.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

—with respect to bail and sentencing, followed immediately by clause-by-clause—

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Mr. Brock, we can talk over each other or—

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

—consideration of Bill C-14, followed by clause-by-clause of Bill C-9.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

—you can respect the chair and respect the interpreters. We can do this all day long—

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

I'm addressing Mr. Brock's point of order, Mr. Mantle. Be patient.

That's inappropriate at this time, Mr. Brock.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

I'll be raising it again when I'm recognized.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

That's your right.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

When is that, Clerk?

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.