Karen McCrimmon

[Public Safety, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we have introduced national security legislation that will clarify once and for all that advocacy, protest, dissent and artistic expression are not activities that undermine the security of Canada. They are, in fact, hallmarks of a free and democratic society.

Unlike the Harper Conservatives who labelled protesters as foreign-funded radicals, we recognize that not everyone will agree with all of our decisions.

[Public Safety, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our government vigorously defends the rights of all Canadians to peaceful assembly and demonstration. In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint at hand in this matter, finding that CSIS had not acted outside of its mandate and that its activities were reasonable and necessary. As the Federal Court is reviewing this decision, we cannot comment further at this time.

[Justice, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, regarding that transfer of an inmate in 2001, and the subsequent decision to transfer the inmate to another institution, the then solicitor general told this chamber, “The decision was made by Correctional Service Canada after evaluation to transfer him to another institution”.

As Stephen Harper's former minister of public safety said, “I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners”.

[Justice, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the decision to change the security classification of this particular inmate was made in 2014, under the previous government. That inmate was determined to be medium security and she remains in a medium-security institution.

[Justice, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as I already mentioned, the Minister of Public Safety has asked the corrections commissioner to do a review to make sure the current policies and procedures were indeed followed, and to determine whether those policies and procedures are still appropriate. We will await the findings of the commissioner.

[Justice, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, section 28 of the corrections act says that inmate placement decisions must be made by corrections services. That act was created in 1992 by a Conservative government, and section 28 was last updated by the Harper government. As much as he might like to, the Minister of Public Safety cannot simply overrule laws, including those created by a Conservative government.

[Justice, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the loss they endured and have lived these last nine years. The Minister of Public Safety has asked the new commissioner of corrections to fully review the placement decision made by her predecessor in order to ensure that it followed all the policies and procedures currently in place, and that these policies remain appropriate.

[Tornadoes in Ottawa-Gatineau, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, our amazing community of Dunrobin in my riding of Kanata—Carleton was devastated as an EF3 tornado touched down, destroying homes and businesses, causing injury and unimaginable destruction.

Over the weekend, I witnessed an amazing emergency response. Mayor Watson and city councillor Eli El-Chantiry led an all-out effort to come to the aid of Dunrobin. Police, firefighters, paramedics, support workers, the team at West Carleton Secondary School, road, building, hydro, and gas crews, giving it their all.

Hundreds of people worked hard to help those in need.

I encourage those who want to help to donate to the Red Cross. For those who have been on duty for the last three days straight, I thank them very much for their efforts.

The residents of Dunrobin are an example of amazing community strength and compassion. They are in our thoughts as they face this tragedy, and we will be there with them.

[Emergency Preparedness, September 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in this place as the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, proud because I get to work supporting our everyday heroes: our police officers, firefighters, paramedics, corrections officers, security and emergency personnel. They work tirelessly every day to protect, serve and help Canadians. They have dedicated their lives to serving others. In my riding of Kanata—Carleton, I have had the chance to regularly meet with these true professionals. We should all be thankful for their selfless service to others.

I know that first responders will be on duty in Carp this weekend at the 155th Carp Fair, "the best little fair in Canada". They will be there, ready to help if needed.

I invite everyone to come out and enjoy the fair and take the time to meet and thank these true community heroes.

[Firearms Act, September 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this has to do with improving things like background checks. Over time, we have seen the kind of violence, the harassment and abuse, that is targeted at women online. That needs to be addressed.

It also acknowledges that there are people who are suffering from mental illness and they might have access to a firearm. We need to make it more difficult for them to have that access.

There is a law in Quebec called Anastasia's law, and it allows mental health professionals to speak up if they have a patient they feel might be of harm to themselves or to others. That is not a federal responsibility, but it is something we will be speaking about with our provincial counterparts.