Evidence of meeting #17 for Justice and Human Rights in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was c-14.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
If I understand correctly, gentlemen, paragraph 515(10)(b) already includes what is set out in (b) and in small italic (i). The addition would be to add the elements that are in small italic (ii). I'm reading it, and essentially it's identical up until that point. Are the factors currently listed in small italic (ii), whether or not they're listed in that section, factors that need to be considered regardless already?
February 4th, 2026 / 11:20 p.m.
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
They are, although I would note that the expression for major offences would not be captured under subsection 515(10) under the secondary grounds.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
However, “major offences” are not defined in the Criminal Code. Are there other locations in the Criminal Code that refer to “major offences”?
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
No, I don't believe so.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Then this is based on a definition that failed in an earlier amendment. The reference now will be unusual in the Criminal Code, because this would be the only reference to “major offences”.
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
I believe so, yes.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Shall CPC-9 carry?
(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Shall clause 23 carry?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
(Clause 23 agreed to on division)
New clause 23.1 takes us to CPC-10.
I just want to remind people that it's 11:25 right now. We have resources for just under three hours tonight, until 2:15 this morning. Then we have resources available to us, starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, until midnight. This is my way of encouraging everybody to try to get us out of here before 2:15.
Mr. Brock, it's over to you for CPC-10.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON
Okay. I'm just going to double-check and make sure my working notes are consistent with the actual amendment itself.
New clause 23.1 will be known as mandatory detention for certain repeat major offence circumstances. This will be included in a new amendment under subsection 515(11.1). It creates a rule that the justice must order detention, with no discretion, where the accused is charged with a major offence and both of these are true: (a) that the current alleged major offence was committed while the accused was at large on release for another major offence, and (b) that the accused was convicted of a major offence within the previous 10 years before being charged with the current offence.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
We can't get into that again, because it's not defined and is not found anywhere else in the Criminal Code. I don't think anybody looking at these provisions would know what a “major offence” was in any of the sections, so I'm going to be voting against it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Thank you. Is there anybody else?
Shall CPC-10 carry?
(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 24 agreed to)
(Clauses 25 to 28 agreed to)
That takes us to clause 29 and BQ-5. I'll turn the floor over to Mr. Fortin.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Okay. Thank you.
(Clause 29 agreed to)
That takes us to clause 30 and BQ-6.
Go ahead, Mr. Fortin.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Okay.
(Clause 30 agreed to)
(Clauses 31 to 34 agreed to)
New clause 34.1 takes us to G-6.
Go ahead, Ms. Lattanzio.
Liberal
Patricia Lattanzio Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
This motion is, again, a technical change that is consequential to G-5, which amended clause 29 of Bill C-14. This change is needed to ensure that there are correct cross-references to proposed subsections 524(6.1) and 524(6.2). The change would ensure that the bail decisions to release or detain an accused under section 524 are reviewable by the courts of appeal across the country.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Seeing no hands, shall G-6 carry?
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clauses 35 to 37 agreed to)
That brings us to BQ-7.
Go ahead, Mr. Fortin.
