Mr. Speaker, Bill C-41 destroys the principle that as Canadians we all stand equal before the law. Section 718.2 of this bill would have the courts administer greater penalties for violent crimes committed against certain groups identified by the justice minister in this bill.
The courts already take aggravating and mitigating circumstances into consideration when determining the penalty to impose on an offender. This section tells the court that some acts of violence are to be taken more seriously than others because of who the victims are. This creates special status and is unacceptable.
Section 718.2 serves absolutely no purpose other than to grant an opportunity for the justice minister to make a politically correct statement. The Criminal Code, the law of this land, is not the place for the government to be making politically correct statements. The Criminal Code must uphold the most fundamental principle of law: that all Canadians, all citizens must stand equal before the law.