Debates of May 23rd, 2024

Department of Justice—Main Estimates, 2024-25

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, I am encouraged by the member's passion for addressing domestic violence; it's got to be a passionate priority for all of us. I am discouraged by the fact that when we introduced legislation that would have things like a red flag law to take a gun away from an abusive spouse, the member voted against it.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, it is very interesting that the minister brings up guns and does not want to answer the question. There was a man who killed a woman in front of a Calgary elementary school. He was under a no-contact order. What did he murder her with?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, the weapons that are being used in terms of violence against women include guns. That is what we have heard at committee. That is why we implemented legislation to freeze handgun sales and to regulate the fact that red flag laws—

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, the man who took the woman's life in front of her children in an elementary schoolyard was previously charged with domestic violence offences, released under a no-contact order and had active warrants against him. The minister wants to bring up guns.

I will ask again: How was the woman murdered by a repeat offender who was out on warrants?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, I would say again, because this is an issue that needs to be addressed, that guns and gangs relate to keeping people safe. When that member and her party vote against funding for guns and gangs, they are not keeping Canadians safe, nor Canadian women.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, the man was first charged with a domestic violence offence in July 2023. He was released on bail on the condition that he have no contact with his estranged wife. He was charged with violating that release condition in September and again in November. He stabbed her. This is appalling to hear from the Minister of Justice when victims are watching.

I go to the Minister to say this. This is a letter from the friends of Kristen French, who was murdered by Paul Bernardo. It states:

Once again we are saddened and disappointed that the Government of Canada has added to the continued emotional trauma and victimization of the many people who have been affected by this man and his brutal crimes. To know that so much communication took place about the transfer and yet no one deemed it important enough to ensure that the minister was addressed personally speaks yet again to the disregard of victims in our Criminal Justice System.

Since the minister did not make any public statement last week, which was Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, why has he not followed through on the Liberals' promise to review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, I work in close collaboration with the Ombudsperson for victims and with victims groups around the country. I would say to the victims, including the French family, that my heart feels for them and for the loss they have experienced at the hands of a very heinous killer. That crime affected the entire nation and continues to affect the entire nation.

I would also reiterate for the member opposite that decisions about parole and corrections and release are obviously governed at arm's length by the Parole Board of Canada and are also under the domain of the Minister of Public Safety.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, how many years ago did he promise to enforce and to review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, with respect to victims services and victims needs, we are attentive to them and are constantly prioritizing them, and that is—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, in 2020 that was promised, and it has never been done. There is no authority specifically dedicated to ensuring the implementation of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. Victims must rely on the Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime.

Does he think that is fair for victims?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, my opinion of victims is demonstrated through the prioritization of legislation we put through the House. I would include, in that regard, the sex offender registry, which was struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada. We worked with Pace successfully through the House and through the Senate to reinstall the sex offender registry to keep women in particular safe from—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, they were called to do a review in 2020 on behalf of victims everywhere. What a shameful representation from the Minister of Justice that this Canadian Victims Bill of Rights has never been reviewed. I ask the minister today, he is the Minister of Justice, to name the four issues that have been asked to be reviewed, because in this country, criminals have more rights than victims. What are they? Please tell the victims watching.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, what I would say to these questions is that I am encouraged by the member's passion in the defence of victims, including women who are victims of violence. What I would hope is that her leader would demonstrate the same commitment toward women's rights generally, including women's rights—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, it is absolutely desperate and pathetic, and that is a shameful response.

This is my last question. The minister says he is so concerned about Bill C-63, which he is in charge of bringing forward to the House. If it so important to protect children, why has he not done it?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, I reject categorically the accusation that raising the issue of a woman's right to choose, a woman's control over her reproductive rights, is something that should be the subject of scorn by any member of Parliament. These are constitutionally protected rights that are protected by section 7, which is one of the provisions that is subject to the notwithstanding clause her leader is—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, we have an increase of 815% under this minister's watch involving online sexual luring. He is trying to distract. He does not want to answer the questions. He is the one who brought up his proverbial Bill C-63 that is going to solve all these problems. He said Canada is not unsafe, yet we have stats that show an increase of 101% increase in gun crime.

Why, if Bill C-63 is so important and he is so worried about public safety and so worried about victims, has he not brought it forward to the House?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, we have tabled that legislation. We are looking forward to having it voted on in the House and proceeding to committee as fast as possible because the luring she mentioned is child predation. It is something that she and I hopefully can agree that we need to cure. That is one of the things that would be tackled through this legislation, among other things.

She has been spending a lot of time talking about women's rights. Women who are cowered through revenge porn would also be addressed through Bill C-63 because it is a second form of content that would be subject to a 24-hour takedown requirement. Surely we can agree on the necessity of prioritizing—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Madam Chair, I will ask, right now, for the minister to redeem himself just a tiny bit and to give a date when he will review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights so that victims' rights are actually enforced in Canada. What is the date, please?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, we are constantly working to ensure the rights of victims, including female victims, are entrenched in law in Canada. That is why Bill C-21 included red flag laws. That is why we established the sex offender registry. That is why I have worked on two occasions to ensure there is a reverse—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.