Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative MP Alex Ruff rose during Question Period in the House of Commons this week to press the Liberal government on Bill C-5.
The reforms to sentencing under the Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act passed third reading in the Senate and received royal assent two weeks ago on Nov. 17. Bill C-5 removed all mandatory minimum penalties previously under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, as well as 14 Criminal Code offences.
Several firearms offences in the Criminal Code are among those that had mandatory minimums removed, including discharging firearm with intent, robbery with a firearm and weapons trafficking.
Instead of relying on minimum sentences, judges would be required to “impose a sentence that is proportionate to the degree of responsibility of the offender and the seriousness of the offence, taking into account all aggravating and mitigating factors … including the risk to public safety and the individual and their experience with systemic racism,” a government statement on the bill explains.
The reforms are intended to help address the “disproportionate representation of Indigenous peoples, as well as Black Canadians and members of marginalized communities” in Canada’s criminal justice system.
Ruff started his statement in Question Period on Tuesday by saying “violent crime has risen 32 per cent since the Liberals formed government in 2015” and then went on to read a series of headlines and recent charges laid in alleged criminal incidents in Grey Bruce.
“Why are the Liberals removing mandatory minimums on repeat offenders? And when will they repeal their soft on crime policies?” Ruff asked in Question Period.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Scarborough—Rouge Park MP Gary Anandasangaree fielded Ruff’s question from the government benches.
He defended Bill C-5 and says “serious crimes will always have serious consequences” and then claims “C-5 is about failed policies of the Conservatives who have clogged our system and filled our prisons with low risk first-time offenders. Time and resources that should be devoted to fighting serious crimes.”
Ruff immediately challenged him back: “Mr. Speaker, let’s make sure talking points don’t get in the road of the facts. Ten of the 12 mandatory minimums the Liberals are removing were introduced by previous Liberal governments…”
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound’s MP asked again: “When will they repeal their soft on crime agenda?”
