Sean Fraser

[Public Safety, September 19th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the circumstances my hon. colleague raises clearly engage heinous crimes that need to be taken absolutely seriously. I spent a number of the last few months meeting with law enforcement, meeting with people who work within the criminal justice system and meeting with people who have dedicated their lives and careers to improving public safety in this country. Not one of them has come forward with the recommendation that we should adopt the Conservatives' approach to this particular issue.

We will use evidence and we will work with the stakeholders who know what they are talking about to advance solutions that would actually make Canada a safer place. I hope the Conservatives will work with us.

[Public Safety, September 19th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, we agree that we need to take action to ensure that violent repeat offenders are not left on our streets. However, it is curious, the strategy that the Conservatives have chosen. The law they are putting forward now has been shown to be a failure in every jurisdiction in which it has been tried. It is a theory that has come directly out of the United States. I do not know if the opposition was paying attention during the recent election campaign, but Canadians very much want laws to be developed in Canada.

This is Canada, not the United States, and the citizens I represent in Central Nova would very much like to keep it that way.

[Public Safety, September 19th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to my hon. colleague, I am sure she knows that we are moving forward with bail reform legislation that will be tabled in the House this fall. I had the opportunity yesterday to connect with a number of my critics, including the Conservative critic, to discuss items of mutual concern. Our belief on this side of the House is that we need to strengthen our bail laws and our sentencing laws to ensure that dangerous people who commit serious crimes and pose a public safety threat are not left to roam free on our streets.

[Justice, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, this is the second time this week I have received a question about a piece of legislation that the questioner has seemingly not read. Bill C-5, among other things, actually restricts the use of conditional sentencing orders for serious crimes, such as attempted murder and advocating genocide. We want to continue to put measures in place that will have harsher sentences for repeat violent offenders. We will also advance reforms that would make it harder to get bail for people who pose a public safety threat.

I would ask that all members of the House pull the partisan rhetoric out of such a serious issue as public safety and get together to advance reforms that will protect—

[Justice, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to good ideas, I can assure my colleague opposite that I have been taking them from law enforcement, from provincial governments and from stakeholders in the public safety space since the day of my appointment to this position.

We will be introducing legislation that would strengthen Canada's bail system, making it harder for repeat violent offenders and for those who commit serious crimes with organized criminal organizations, including auto theft and home invasion. The Conservatives will have to wait a matter of weeks before this legislation comes forward. My hope is that they will support the common-sense measures that would help keep communities safe in every part of this country.

[Justice, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely thank my hon. colleague for raising this question on the floor of the House of Commons. Such horrific acts can be met only with condemnation from members of Parliament on both sides of the aisle.

As we seek to move forward with legislation, we will be restricting conditional sentence orders when it comes to sexual crimes and sexual crimes against children. We will do what we can to make sure that we work with provinces so that they can fund their systems properly, as well as to ensure that we work together to keep Canadians safe.

My hope is that crime and horrific circumstances such as these will not be used as partisan fodder. I will work sincerely with my colleague opposite to advance the kinds of changes that will keep children safe in this country.

[Public Safety, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my Conservative colleagues for the applause. I hope they will meet that with their votes when it comes time to support the legislation we will be advancing this fall.

I have good news for my friend opposite. This legislation would include serious reforms to make stricter bail conditions for people who are repeat violent offenders. It would have harsher sentences for those people who would pose risks to the public's safety.

We will do what we can to strengthen Canada's laws. We will do what we can to bring the provinces along with us. My hope is only that all members of this House will do the right thing and vote for the legislation when it comes forward.

[Public Safety, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, dangerous people who commit serious crimes should not be walking freely in our streets if they pose a public safety threat to Canadians. I have good news—

[Justice, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the member will appreciate that we have a different perspective. We expect the justice to make decisions independently based on the law. The rule of law in this country is a fundamental pillar of our democracy, with which we may not show compromise. We must insist that we have an independent process based on recommendations by people who can assess the validity of the nominations that come before us. We appoint judges based on their quality and on their merit, not on their partisan affiliation. I hope all members will support the independence of this essential process in a democracy.

[Justice, September 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the legal challenge to the appointment of this judge to the Quebec Superior Court.

Canada has a very robust and independent judicial appointment process, and we want to keep it that way. Judicial independence is an important foundation of our democracy. It protects the rule of law. To say otherwise undermines those principles. We will always defend the independence of our courts.