Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of Bill C‑14, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the National Defence Act. This is a bill that is of paramount importance for public safety, public trust in our legal institutions, and the fundamental balance of justice and responsibility in Canada.
Bill C‑14 seeks to address a concern that is largely shared by Canadians to ensure that our bail system remains fair, credible, effective and consistent with today's reality.
Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in cases where individuals charged with or sentenced for serious violent crimes have been released on bail, and some of them have gone on to reoffend, with tragic outcomes. This undermines public confidence and weakens the very principle of justice, which is grounded in the safety and security of all Canadians. It is precisely this imbalance that Bill C‑14 seeks to address while at the same time safeguarding the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Bill C‑14 enhances the rigour of the bail process for the most serious crimes, including random violence, the use of firearms, extortion, breaking and entering, and motor vehicle theft involving violence. It introduces reverse onus provisions for certain offences, which means an accused must justify why they should be released pending trial. This does not constitute an arbitrary limitation of the right to defend oneself against charges, but rather, it is a measured response in situations where public safety must come first.
The enactment of this legislation would require justices of the peace to consider the gravity and frequency of offences when making a decision. This measure will strengthen judicial decisions across the country and provide clear benchmarks depending on the gravity and repeat offending.
Bill C‑14 is not limited to punishment; it also addresses prevention. Requiring that primary consideration be given to denunciation and deterrence in cases of repeat violent offences, organized motor vehicle theft, and breaking and entering sends a clear message that there will be zero tolerance for gratuitous violence and organized crime.
This bill also retains the spirit of justice and rehabilitation, which is a hallmark of the Canadian system. It clarifies the definition of “violent offence” in relation to young offenders, while ensuring that mechanisms for bail and supervision reflect the gravity of the offence and the need for rehabilitation. It also protects the public's right to information in emergencies and enables law enforcement agencies to disclose a young person's identity where there is an imminent danger. This is a common-sense, balanced and proportionate measure.
Bill C‑14 also introduces new aggravating factors for crimes committed against first responders, the women and men who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. Professionals like police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and correctional officers deserve not only to be recognized, but also to be better protected under the law. This bill turns that recognition into concrete action.
The bill also modernizes the National Defence Act by aligning sentences and principles of deterrence with those in the civilian system, while respecting the specific nature of the military context.
It strengthens how fines are managed, facilitates remote appearances in certain circumstances and makes sentences more consistent for contempt of court offences. These are technical, but essential, adjustments to ensure a more effective and swifter justice system that is more in tune with the reality on the ground.
Bill C‑14 is not a partisan response. It is a call for collective responsibility. Public safety, confidence in the justice system and social stability are not partisan issues, but rather shared Canadian values. This bill reflects the government's willingness to listen to the concerns of citizens, first responders, municipalities, provinces and territories.
It is not a question of pitting justice against compassion; it is a question of reconciling them. By supporting this bill, we are saying that the right to safety is as fundamentally important as the right to freedom.
Bill C‑14 is a decisive step toward a more consistent, more robust and more humane justice system. It protects our communities, supports our law enforcement agencies, holds offenders accountable and modernizes our institutions. Supporting this bill means supporting a Canada where freedom is exercised in accordance with the law, where compassion meets responsibility and where justice means safety for all.
I therefore invite my colleagues from all parties to support Bill C‑14 so that together we can build a justice system that lives up to the Canadian values of safety, justice and respect for human dignity.