✔︎ Bill C-21, (Firearms)

Bill

Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

The Act furthers the government’s commitment to address firearms violence in Canada, and implement preventative measures to mitigate future violence.

Passed.

Bill Status

At consideration in committee in the Senate

✔︎ Bill C-5 (Repealing Some Minimum Penalties)

Bill

Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

The Act ensures courts can continue to impose tough sentences on violent and serious crimes without a disproportionate impact on Indigenous and racialized Canadians.

Passed.

Bill Status

Royal Assent received

✔︎ C-83 (Transforming Administrative Segregation)

Bill

C-83: An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yes.

Rationale

I voted for this bill because it aligns with the government`s values and beliefs and it is necessary for the government to be able to amend certain corrections.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ M-161 (Private Members' Business - Instruction to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security - Record Suspension Program)

Motion

M-161: Private Members' Business - Instruction to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (Record Suspension Program).

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

I voted in favour of M-161 because this committee study will complement the consultations the Government has already undertaken to support the rehabilitation and safe reintegration of offenders.

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.

✘ C-330 (Landlord Consent)

Bill

C-330: An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (landlord consent).

Second reading.

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

This bill would have restricted freedoms for those living with landlords.

Result

Defeated.

✘ C-373 (Distracted Driving)

Bill

C-373: An Act respecting a federal framework on distracted driving.

Second reading.

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

While I supported the intent of Bill C-373 and objective of combatting distracted driving, I voted against this bill as it would overlap with provincial/territorial responsibilities, duplicate existing work being done by Transport Canada, and have financial implications for both federal and provincial governments.

Result

Defeated.

✔︎ C-46 (Impaired Driving)

Bill

C-46: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

Impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada. Our Government has committed to creating new and stronger laws to punish more severely those who drive while under the influence of drugs, including cannabis. Bill C-46 goes one step further by proposing to reform the entire impaired driving regime in the Criminal Code. It would strengthen existing drug-impaired driving laws and create a regime that would be amongst the strongest in the world. To support these measures, the Government will undertake a robust public awareness campaign so that Canadians are well informed about the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis and other drugs. It will also work with provinces, territories, municipalities and local communities to train and equip law enforcement so that Canada’s roads and highways are safe for all Canadians. On that note, our Government is investing up to $274 million to support law enforcement and border efforts to detect and deter drug-impaired driving and enforce the proposed cannabis legalization and regulation. We have committed up to $161 million for training frontline officers in how to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug-impaired driving, building law enforcement capacity across the country, providing access to drug screening devices, developing policy, bolstering research, and raising public awareness about the dangers of drug-impaired driving.

Result

Passed.

✘ C-349 (Criminal Organization)

Bill

C-349:  An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other acts (criminal organization) 

Second reading.

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

There are a number of reasons why our Government opposes the proposed legislation:

Charter concerns: The listing process would likely contravene section 7 of the Charter (life, liberty and security of the person). By prohibiting people from wearing certain emblems, there is also a significant risk that the legislation would be inconsistent with section 2(b) (freedom of expression).

The proposed changes are unlikely to make organized crime easier to investigate or prosecute. This is because the type of evidence required to support successful organized crime prosecutions will also help to establish the existence of the criminal organization in any event. 

The PMB would significantly undermine the current organized crime regime because it would have the effect of requiring all criminal organizations to be listed in order to rely on the organized crime provisions in the Criminal Code. In other words, criminals could not be convicted under the organized crime provisions unless they were already on the list – this would be an obstacle to successful prosecution.

Result

Defeated.

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