Debates of May 23rd, 2024

Department of Justice—Main Estimates, 2024-25

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

Madam Chair, the closest courthouse to Parliament Hill is actually the Supreme Court.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, has he visited any courthouse here in Ottawa to observe the broken bail system that he and his Liberals have caused? Yes or no.

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

Madam Chair, bail reform is critical, and that is why we passed Bill C-48. That is why we are always looking to protect Canadians from serious violent repeat offenders.

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order. I am going to stop the clock for a second. I want to remind members that they have opportunities to ask questions. They have picked who will be asking the questions. I would ask them to allow their members to ask questions without disruption.

The hon. member.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, what is the closest courthouse to the minister's constituency office?

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

Madam Chair, the closest courthouses to my constituency office are probably the ones in downtown Toronto.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, that is perhaps about six kilometres away, a short drive. Has he visited either of those to observe bail hearings?

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

Madam Chair, I visit courthouses in my role as Minister of Justice, and I am seized with the issue of bail reform.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, I have the same question. Has the minister visited courthouses to observe bail hearings? Yes or no.

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

Madam Chair, I work diligently on Criminal Code reform, including bail reform, to ensure to keep Canadians safe.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, what is it like to be the Minister of Justice and not know what is happening on the ground at bail court?

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

Madam Chair, in terms of bail reform, I have been working on that diligently since assuming the role—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, I am not talking about bail reform. I am talking about what happens in the day-to-day courts, not in the ivory towers, but on the ground.

What is it like to be in charge of that and not even go to see whether it is working?

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

Madam Chair, on bail reform, we passed Bill C-48 with the co-operation of that member opposite.

I would hope that with future Criminal Code reform, which would help keep Canadians safe, he would offer the same level of co-operation.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, if he wants to co-operate with Canadians, he will learn what is happening on the ground.

Why has the minister not gone to bail courts?

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

Madam Chair, the member opposite is clearly not listening.

I indicated in my first response about eight minutes ago that I attend courthouses frequently in my role as minister.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, when was the last time the minister observed a bail hearing?

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

Madam Chair, on bail, I think the critical issue for us to understand is that we need to—

[The Deputy Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, I have the same question.

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

Madam Chair, I think of deterrence, the likelihood of reoffending and the need to send a signal to the community.

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Madam Chair, when was the last time the minister descended from the proverbial ivory tower and attended a bail hearing?

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

Madam Chair, just for the member's edification, my office is very similar to his. There is no ivory in it.