Canada PoliticsWhat a new Conservative crime bill may look like when Parliament resumes
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said during the campaign a Conservative majority government would bundle crime legislation into one bill and push it through Parliament within 100 days of taking office.
It's expected the omnibus legislation will include the following pieces of legislation left in lingo upon dissolution of Parliament at the end of March:
Bill C-16 An Act to Amend the Criminal code.
This legislation would end the house arrest sentences for those deemed as "violent offenders."
This bill would require the Crown to seek adult sentences for youth convicted of the most serious crimes — murder, attempted murder, manslaughter and aggravated sexual assault. It also includes language about requiring the courts to consider publishing the name of a violent young offender when deemed necessary.
C-60 - An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Citizen's arrest and the defences of property and persons)
Bill C-60 would allow a property owner to make a citizen's arrest after they find that person committing a criminal offence either on their property (e.g. the offence occurs in their yard) or in relation to their property (e.g. their property is stolen from a public parking lot).
S-10: Penalties for Organized Drug Crime Act
This legislation proposes mandatory jail time for offenders when drug trafficking is carried out for organized crime purposes, if the drug is sold to youth, or the trafficking offence takes place near a school or an area normally frequented by youth.
C-53 An act to amend the Criminal Code (Mega-Trials)
This legislation is intended to make mega-trials faster and more efficient by strengthening case management, reducing duplication of processes and improving criminal procedure in the courts.
C-23B — An Act to Amend the Criminal Records Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts.
This bill would extend ineligibility periods for pardon applications for up to five years for summary conviction offences and to 10 years for indictable offences. It also makes those convicted of sexual offences against minors and those who have been convicted of more than three indictable offences ineligible for a pardon.
Among other reforms in this bill, the proposed legislation would abolish the current system of accelerated parole review, which allows those convicted of "non-violent offences" to obtain day parole after serving one-sixth of their sentence and full parole after serving one-third.
In total, according to the Parliament of Canada website, 38 government bills, at various stages, were halted upon the dissolution of Parliament.
In addition, there were 26 private member bills and 35 bills at the Senate stage that were all terminated.
(CP Photo)
