Allan Rock

[Young Offenders Act, June 2nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the government continues to believe the youth justice system is fundamentally sound, and we support it.

The question of age, as the hon. member knows, and other questions about the youth justice system were expressly put to the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. The hon. member will know, because I have made the letter public and provided copies to members of the House, that I have expressly asked the standing committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the statute and the youth justice system generally after it has reported on the bill I tabled this morning.

One of the subjects I asked the committee to look at was the question of age.

[Young Offenders Act, June 2nd, 1994]

Reflecting the consultations and in keeping with commitments the government has given, we have doubled the maximum sentence for first degree murder and increased to seven years the sentence for second degree murder.

We have broadened extensively the sharing of information about young offenders for purposes of community safety. For 16 and 17 year olds, the top age group among young offenders, charged with the most serious crimes of violence we have in fact reversed the onus on the transfer test to adult court so that they must demonstrate they have the right to remain in youth court for rehabilitation purposes.

These and other measures directly reflect many of the themes that were sounded during our extensive consultations with Canadians.

[Young Offenders Act, June 2nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the amendments we introduced this morning in our view reflect those submissions and that consultation very directly.

Among other things, the bill we put before the House of Commons at ten o'clock this morning sends a strong message from the government that crimes of violence will not be tolerated from any age group in society.

[Young Offenders Act, June 2nd, 1994]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-37, an act to amend the Young Offenders Act and the Criminal Code.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

[Gambling, May 31st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows the Criminal Code of Canada deals with gambling by providing for blanket prohibition and then allowing it by exceptions specifically in relation to the provinces.

The provinces are allowed to operate lottery schemes. They are allowed to be the operators of casinos with table games and slot machines. There is no provision in the Criminal Code at present to allow the federal government to operate or to licence casinos directly for gambling.

I must tell the hon. member there is no plan at present to amend the gambling provisions of the code to provide for additional exceptions, such as the private operation of casinos as he suggests. In order to do such a thing at least two requirements would have to be met. First we would have to negotiate with the provinces for an agreement to that effect. Second, we would have to deal with the provisions of the coasting trade act which has regulations that would pertain to any such arrangement.

If the hon. member cared to pursue in detail any aspect of this question, I would be happy to meet with him for that purpose.

[Human Rights, May 30th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, that is the sort of question one would prefer to hear the supplementary to. Let me say without qualification that subject to the supplementary, of course I do.

[Sexual Offenders, May 30th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I believe the changes we are going to introduce in legislation to be tabled in the House will meet those concerns.

I have engaged in discussions with chairs of school boards, with representatives of schools, with police forces, with parents groups. I am keenly aware of the strong feeling that where public safety requires it, information about young offenders should be shared, particularly in those cases involving crimes of violence.

I am confident that the changes we will propose very shortly to the House of Commons will meet those concerns and answer the needs that have been identified by the hon. member.

[Sexual Offenders, May 30th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, in concert with the Solicitor General and the Minister of Health, we are releasing a discussion paper on the whole question of a national child sex abuse register for the protection of children to adapt existing technology to permit us to store for retrieval in appropriate circumstances particulars of convictions for sexual abuse. Protection of children in cases such as the one referred to by the hon. member is our paramount concern.

After we have the benefit of the views of Canadians including the provincial authorities on the alternatives set out in our discussion paper, we will put in place a national register with respect to those convicted of child sexual abuse.

As I informed the House last week, our objective is to have that in place in the fall of this year.

[Sexual Offenders, May 30th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, in response to the specific question, it is not something that is planned at present but a national register of sexual offenders is something I would be happy to consider and discuss with the hon. member once I have had an opportunity to examine its implications.

I will deal more broadly with the thrust of the member's question without commenting on the case of Mr. Fisher who has completed his sentence and has been released at the end of the sentence which, by the way, was served without parole.

Let me speak more generally about the whole question of the release of offenders. As the hon. member will know, we have long since identified as a matter requiring action the whole question of the release of high risk offenders at the end of their sentences of incarceration.

I have already started with my colleagues in the provinces and territories an examination of alternatives. We have planned meetings with the ministers of health of those jurisdictions later this year to discuss specific changes to provincial mental health legislation to permit assessment and, if public safety requires it, continued confinement of such persons beyond the end of their criminal sentence in order to protect society.

[Young Offenders Act, May 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to provide the hon. member or any other member of the House with copies of suggestions I have received about the Young Offenders Act.

I can warn the hon. member that I have received quite a few suggestions for changes to the Young Offenders Act. Last month my office received 12,000 letters from Canadians and many of

them dealt with this issue. I would be happy to share those letters with the hon. member or any other member of this House.