✔︎ Bill S-205 (interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders)

Bill

Bill S-205, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another Act

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

Bill S-205 proposes additional targeted criminal law reforms would help to reinforce the ability of the criminal law to address IPV and improve victim confidence in the criminal justice system. Accordingly, the Government supports Bill S-205 with amendments to ensure coherence with existing criminal law and to address the legal, operational and policy concerns with the Bill.

Passed.

Bill Status

At report stage in the House of Commons

✔︎ Bill S-12 (SOIRA and publication bans)

Bill

Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

Bill S-12 amends the Criminal Code and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) to enact reforms in three categories: 1) response to a Supreme Court decision regarding the National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR), 2) strengthening of the NSOR, and 3) empowering victims of crime. S-12 was created after extensive consultation with victims and survivors of sexual assault, women’s groups, law enforcement agencies, and others. The Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime is extremely supportive of this Bill.

Passed.

Bill Status

Received Royal Assent

✔︎ Bill C-9 (Judges Act)

Bill

Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Judges Act

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

The Act strengthens the judicial complaints process to make the system less expensive and time-consuming.

Passed.

Bill Status

Royal Assent received

✘ Bill C-283 (Addictions Treatment)

Bill

Bill C-283, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (addiction treatment in penitentiaries)

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

A registered health professional is better suited than a judge to determine whether one requires addiction treatment and what the suite of treatment should look like. This would remove classification of the inmate from the hands of CSC and into the hands of a judge with no knowledge of the inner workings of CSC.

Failed.

Bill Status

Bill Defeated.

✔︎ Bill S-206 (Disclosure of Information by Jurors)

Bill

Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors)

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

There is increasing awareness of the psychological stresses associated with jury service and the toll that criminals trials can take on jurors. The pandemic has also impacted the mental health of Canadians. The Bill seeks to address concerns over the offence in section 649 providing an obstacle to jurors seeking mental health support following the completion of a trial.

Passed.

Bill Status

Royal Assent received

✔︎ Bill C-3 (Healthcare Protections & 10 Days of Paid Sick Leave)

Bill

Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

Bill C-3 provides protection for healthcare workers and 10 days of paid sick leave. What does protection for healthcare workers mean? This will make the intimidation and threats to healthcare workers illegal and extends to online threats. It also makes obstructing healthcare workers from doing their job illegal. This includes those accessing health services, including abortion services. It does NOT make peaceful protest or labour action illegal, we are protecting charter rights. What does paid sick leave mean? If you are a federally regulated worker, you will now receive 10 days of sick leave. This is enough in case someone needs to isolate for two weeks and covers almost one million workers.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ Bill C-4 (Ban on Conversion Therapy)

Bill

Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

BIll C-4 bans conversion therapy. What does this mean for the LGBT2S+ community? This will strengthen the rights of equality and dignity. As a stronger bill, it will better protect the community by criminalizing:

• Causing another person to undergo conversion therapy

• Removing a minor from Canada to subject them to conversion therapy abroad

• Profiting from providing conversion therapy

• Advertising or promoting conversion therapy

This does NOT criminalize speaking openly and in good-faith about someone's gender or sexual identity. What does this mean for Canada? This bill will ensure we are a country where everyone - regardless of gender expression, gender identity, or sexual orientation - can live equally and freely.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ C-266 (Respecting Families of Murdered and Brutalized Persons Act)

Bill

C-266: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (increasing parole ineligibility).

Second Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

A life sentence is the most severe punishment that can be imposed for some of the most heinous and horrific crimes that can be committed. While life sentences never expire, inmates with life sentences are eligible for parole hearings after 25 years. When an inmate who has virtually no chance of ever being granted parole attends those hearings it can often lead to re-victimization for family members of the deceased. While the government cannot retroactively change parole eligibility for convicts currently in the criminal justice system, changes can be made on a go-forward basis.

The Bill proposes to amend the Criminal Code to direct that a period of parole ineligibility between 25 and 40 years be imposed on individuals who have been convicted, in respect of the same victim and the same series of events.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ C-47 (Arms Trade Treaty Amendments)

Bill

C-47: An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts.

Third reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

Bill C-47 is delivering on our campaign commitment to accede to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT is about protecting people from arms. It ensures countries effectively regulate the international trade of arms, so they are not used to support terrorism, international organized crime, gender-based violence, human rights abuses, or violations of international humanitarian law. Joining the ATT will allow the government to be more effective in its quest for a more transparent and accountable arms trade, not only here in Canada but throughout the world.

Result

Passed.

Open Letter: Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis

Dear residents of Cloverdale - Langley City,

On April 13, 2017, the Minister of Justice tabled Bill C-45, which calls for the legalization and strict regulation of cannabis.

This proposed legislation is the culmination of months of work by the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, which heard from hundreds of experts in many fields – including health, public safety, justice, and law enforcement – and over 30,000 Canadians before the bill came before Parliament.
 
What Bill C-45 recognizes is that the current system of outright prohibition of cannabis simply doesn’t work:

• It has allowed criminals and organized crime to illegally profit, while failing to keep cannabis out of the hands of Canadian youth.
• It is easier for our kids to buy marijuana than cigarettes, a situation that thousands of Canadians – including many from Cloverdale-Langley City – clearly told us was unacceptable.

We know we can do better.

Our plan will therefore create a framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada. We will also invest in a strong public awareness campaign so that Canadians are well informed about the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis.
 
While the proposed legislation has set the lowest allowable age of majority for the sale of marijuana to be 18, the provinces will ultimately decide the age at which it may be legally purchased. In the weeks and months ahead, our Government will continue to consult with the provinces, territories, municipalities, and our Indigenous partners who share with us the responsibility for implementing cannabis legalization and regulation.
 
Recognizing that impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada, our Government has also introduced legislation that would reform the entire impaired driving regime in the Criminal Code. It would strengthen existing drug and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences, making the law easier to enforce, as well as simpler, more coherent and efficient.
 
This legislation makes Canada a global leader by taking an evidence-based, public health approach to the legalization and strict regulation of cannabis.

I look forward to further engaging with the constituents of Cloverdale-Langley City to develop creative solutions that help address our community’s needs and keeping our youth safe.

Sincerely,

John Aldag
Member of Parliament for Cloverdale-Langley City