House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2000, with 60% of the vote.
Justice December 2nd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, Ian John Hutton has been serving a life sentence for murder at the Archibald Centre halfway house in Vaughan, Ontario.
He failed to return to the facility on November 28 and a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for him. Can the Solicitor General explain why a murderer who is classified on CPIC as being violent and an escape risk is serving time at a halfway house?
Corrections And Conditional Release Act December 1st, 1994
I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to close debate on Bill C-240.
I have appreciated the level of debate the bill has received in the House. It has been interesting to see that members of the Bloc have continued to debate against any changes of this nature. They find them draconian. I suggest that they are not listening to their constituents. A poll was taken by Léger et Léger which indicated that 76 per cent of the people in the province of Quebec support this type of legislation. It is nice to
know that although Bloc members do not support it the people of Quebec support it.
I have heard the argument on the opposite side that Bill C-240 may not withstand a court challenge. While there are countless pieces of legislation that may not withstand such a challenge, I believe that as parliamentarians we cannot abrogate our responsibility as lawmakers because of the possibility of a court challenge. I certainly hope that feeling is shared by all my colleagues here. We cannot afford to shy away from legislation solely because of a court challenge.
When I first introduced the legislation I did not think that it would hit home quite so quickly. However, on October 4, as my hon. colleague mentioned, a 16-year old girl was pulled off one of the busiest streets in my community in the middle of the afternoon and murdered. This legislation may have prevented her death.
If this bill is not passed it is inevitable that in the future there will be more such deaths. This bill will not put an end to all murders but if it prevents even one, it would succeed.
I ask all members of this House to please be concerned about the lives of our children, the lives of the victims and support Bill C-240.
(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time and referred to a committee.)
Criminal Code December 1st, 1994
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon will be the third and final hour of debate on my private member's bill C-240. This bill will permit corrections and parole officials to apply to the courts to keep high risk offenders in custody or under community supervision beyond the end of their sentences.
The government has stated that it would not support such legislation because it may be a violation of the charter of rights of the offender. So much for the promise of making the protection of society its number one priority.
Canadians are demanding protection. After the murder of 16 year old Pamela Cameron in October, citizens in my riding started a petition calling for the protection from high risk offenders.
I made public this morning a petition with over 8,000 names. In Milton, Ontario, Pamela's older sister obtained over 10,000 signatures on a similar petition that has yet to be introduced.
A recent poll indicated that 76 per cent of Quebecers support the use of dangerous offender designations against violent offenders.
I urge all members of the House to listen to their constituents and provide them with the protection they are demanding.
Electronic Surveillance November 30th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, Canadian Press has reported that an interdepartmental working group co-ordinated by the PCO is studying the issue of electronic surveillance by federal authorities.
The group is concerned with the development of a clipper chip that would ensure that government agencies like CSIS, the RCMP and the CSE are able to intercept telephone, fax and computer transmissions despite attempts to encrypt them.
My question is for the Prime Minister. Will he confirm the existence of this working group and explain why, if CSE does not have a mandate to spy on Canadians, it is concerned about ensuring the ability of government agencies to spy on Canadians when the CSE is supposedly prohibited from doing so?
Auditor General's Report November 23rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question. According to the Auditor General, the appointment process for the National Parole Board seems to put Canadians at even greater risk than corrections. Many full time appointees are ill prepared to do the job, much less the part time appointees.
Will the parliamentary secretary promise to put an end to political patronage on the National Parole Board and introduce a system based solely on professional skills and merit?
Auditor General's Report November 23rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's Auditor General's report pointed out serious flaws within Correctional Service Canada.
One hundred and sixty violent offenders have slipped through the cracks and ended up on the street; those behind bars are costing Canadian taxpayers up to $80,000 per year each. Canadians are not getting good value for their tax dollars in a system that has serious and occasionally fatal flaws.
I ask the parliamentary secretary when Canadians can expect a corrections system that works for them instead of for the criminals.
Penitentiaries November 22nd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, today the Auditor General's report does indicate there is a need for a better classification system of inmates for the protection of the public and that greater attention needs to be paid to the supervision of high risk offenders placed in the community.
Would the minister not agree that corrections' current classification system and the supervision given to these high risk offenders is as leaky as the security at Bath and needs a major overhaul, not just tinkering?
Penitentiaries November 22nd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, there have been seven escapes in the six months since the Bath Institute was upgraded to a medium security prison.
Can the Solicitor General explain why Correctional Services Canada is putting the public at risk by treating this institution as a medium security facility?
Dangerous Offenders November 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, this House has my Bill C-240 before it, which could prevent the release of dangerous offenders like Budreo. However, the government says it will not support Bill C-240 because it may be against the charter rights of sexual predators like Budreo.
When is this government going to have the courage to concern itself with the rights of victims and potential victims of predators like Budreo?
Dangerous Offenders November 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, today Correctional Services will be releasing Wray Budreo. Despite having a 30-year history of molesting children, Budreo has to be released because his latest sentence has expired.
In the past the Solicitor General has always stated that the government felt these individuals could be detained under the provincial Mental Health Act. That did not work in Budreo's case.
What steps will the government take now to protect society from sexual predators like Wray Budreo?