Good afternoon, everybody. I'm JP Tasker from CBC News and I'll be today's moderator. We
have ministers looking by acknowledging that were gathered to mediate right Minister of Intergovernmental Relations counted parliamentary seven
agents do not feel safe.
Endemic after three exchanged the Justice All right.
If we are so numerous here today, it's for a good reason. We all have a role to play so that Canadians will feel safe throughout the country. And we are aware that too many Canadians do not feel
dynamic after three years of anxiety and isolation. And at the same time, I know and I think all of us know that there is a feeling that crime has worked its way into places we all thought we're safe. On the subway, going to work or walking down the streets during the day are grabbing a coffee. Kool Aid kudos remind the false police
for the courageous members of police services going towards seems more dangerous than it used to be. This is a heavyweight that they have to bear and their families both Canada is a safe country. And I think that we are all aware that we are fortunate to live here. The number of crimes is lower today than 20 years ago. But that doesn't mean that we can do better
tackle crime, and you expect us to tackle the causes of crime. You want our laws to be effective in maintaining public safety while staying true to the values enshrined in the Charter of Rights. You want us to work with all levels of government to ensure that your communities are safe, and our justice system is working the way it should. That makes perfect sense. Administration of Justice is a shared responsibility with the provinces and territories. Is that only take Claire
I think we've been clear our government would do is share on the way that justice the justice system treats violent real offenders. This means reforming the act. This explains why we are so numerous here today I'm going to begin with legal reform. Earlier this morning, I tabled Bill C 48 C 48 brings specific changes to sections on bail under the Criminal Code that targets violent offenders. We also want to put an end to violent crime and to improve the justice is for intimate partner violence victims
ons directly to concerns raised by the Premier's as well as police mares and victims advocates. It flows through the work that we have been doing together with the provinces and territories for several months now highlighted by our most recent meeting in March, where I committed to bring legislation forward to reform the bail system. We've also had the benefit of work that was done by the Justice Committee and both chairs arrived and parliamentary secretary Ananda sangri were part of that the work has been refreshingly non partisan with officials and politicians focused on solutions to improve public safety. That's exactly what you would expect of us. So what's in it for you? This legislation amends the criminal code to do several things. First, it creates a new reverse onus targeting repeat violent offenders involving weapons, weapons including firearms, including knives and including dry spray. Second, it adds specific firearms offenses to an existing reverse someone's provision and these are often offenses linked to organized crime. Third, it strengthens the existing reverse onus regime, addressing intimate partner violence, which we first introduced in formability 75. And finally, it requires courts to consider an accused person's history of convictions for violence, as well as community safety and security concerns when making a bail decision are crucial. These proposed reforms signals that repeat violent offenders pose a risk to Community Safety should not be released while awaiting trial. The goal of Bill C 48 is improving public safety at the same time, we want to make sure that these law reforms do not make things worse for indigenous people, black people and other vulnerable groups who we know are over represented in the criminal justice system. This was recognized in the communique following our SDG meeting in March. And I know this is a priority that my provincial and territorial counterparts share. I want to re emphasize the important role that the provinces and territories have played. several provinces have already taken steps to address the bail system within their jurisdictions. Ontario has invested $112 million to help ensure that repeat violent offenders comply with their bail conditions. Manitoba has increased support for its criminal organization high risk offenders, including funds for a full time psychologist, additional probation officers and Community Corrections workers. Saskatchewan has released an updated provincial bail policy that provincial crown prosecutors must follow in cases involving high risk offenses and intimate partner violence, as well as cases involving children and vulnerable adults. and British Columbia. A leader in this regard has the provincial government introducing a revised bail policy that directs crown prosecutors to seek detention in cases involving repeat violent offenders? This is exactly how our federation is supposed to work. Each quarter of government doing its part working together to ensure that you are safe in your communities came into nostru and quite emblematic complex.
It's complex issue. These reforms are only part of the efforts made to improve our justice system to have an efficient system responding to the needs of Canadians. We understand that the best way to protect our communities is to prevent crime. This means to deal with the underlying causes of crime. We have to understand why someone commits a crime and find ways to make this person change their trajectory
that make our justice system better equipped to get people the help they need to leave the criminal justice system and never need to come back. We've seen success with drug treatment courts Community Justice centers, and the indigenous Justice Program and more. We'll hear more from my colleagues about critical investments in crime, convey prevention, and anti gun and gang prevention. And we're working to ensure that people get access to the mental health and addiction supports that they need. strong lungs, crime prevention supports for vulnerable people. These are the three pillars of good criminal justice policy. Together, they help make our communities safer. C 48 is one part of that commitment to your safety. It delivers on the promise I need to my provincial and territorial counterparts to reform our bail laws. It's informed by what we heard. Premiers, from ministers, from Maris from police and from parliament. It's important to see this bill make its way through Parliament quickly. I firmly hope this bill will receive unanimous consent. Canadians expect us to act and I trust my house. My friends in the House and Senate view things in exactly the same way. Thank you. Merci. I would now invite Minister Mendocino to say a few words.
Merci W it. Thank you as well for the indigenous land acknowledgement. And welcome to all of our colleagues. Today's announcement is about keeping our communities safe. The bail reform legislation we've just tabled in the House of Commons zeroes in on repeat violent offenders who use guns and other weapons. With this proposed law. The onus will now be on them to justify to a court why they shouldn't remain in custody as they wait for a trial. In preparing this legislation, as you've heard Minister lametti Explain. We engaged with provincial, territorial and municipal partners as well as police leaders and community advocates and within our own government. We have worked very closely with our colleagues right across the benches, including an I'd like to single out Minister Bennett who does extraordinary work in advancing our mental health strategy and that cuts right to the core of the way in which we can stop crime and loss and tragedy before it occurs. And I look forward to ongoing collaboration with you, Carolyn. Bill C 48 reflects the broad consensus that we heard. We must strengthen our bail system to keep communities safer for workers riding a bus or subway for parents who send their kids to school for families who are going for a walk in their own neighborhood. This legislation is about them and indeed all Canadians so that we can keep them safe and it will help to separate those offenders from the community to achieve that goal. Bill C 48 is one part of our comprehensive strategy to tackle gun crime and keep Canadians safe. Our plan is based on three priorities, strong laws, strong borders, and strong prevention on strong laws, in addition to today's bill, bail reform legislation, we are taking major steps forward through Bill Bill C 21. Three years ago this government banned assault style firearms like the AR 15, which were designed for a battlefield and have no place in our communities. We're now taking steps to strengthen that national ban as recommended by the mass casualty commission out of Nova Scotia and just about a year ago we banned the sale purchase and transfer of handguns, which have become the number one type of gun used in homicides. These are two key elements of Bill C 21. Canada's most significant gun control legislation in a generation. The legislation will also raise maximum sentences against gun traffickers and introduce red and yellow flag laws to address the relationship between domestic abuse and gun violence which disproportionately impacts women and young girls. As we speak, Bill C 21, is being debated in the house. And we're making good progress with the support of the NDP and the bloc Quebecois on strong borders and enforcement. We'd invested almost half a billion dollars into the Canada Border Services Agency in the last two years alone. We've also deepened our cooperation with the United States to fight gun smuggling and trafficking. And just last week, we announced nearly 400 million federal dollars to give police the additional resources they need in the fight
additional resources reinforce cooperation with the US to fight against contraband.
We will continue to do is to advance a plan that focuses on strong laws, strong borders, and strong prevention. When it comes to keeping Canadians safe, you can't pick and choose one of these priorities you have to advance all three. And by advancing this legislation today around bail reform and in companionship with the other steps that we're taking through Bill C 21. The investments we are making to support law enforcement in our communities and our borders and perhaps most importantly, to continue to advance strategies with which go right to the root causes of gun crime. We can stop tragedy and loss which is caused by violent offenses and other gun crimes before they even start. And with that, I'll turn it back over to our moderator for the next speaker. Messy. Thank you ministers. Yeah, so we'll do one question. One follow up. We'll start with reporters in the room if you want to ask a question just
a heads remarks. Oh, I'm sorry, JP, you are about to miss the best part of this newscast. How could I cut you I have to believe about your colleagues that look up grin on their faces when you were about to miss the vision was explained to the Acquisition Management Team. extraordinary things.
And I'm going to add briefly, as my colleagues have said,
I've been working extremely closely with our provincial and territorial counterparts to develop this legislation. This morning, for example, I had an opportunity to speak with Premier Ford to acknowledge the important work that he did and his ministers did, and other provinces and territories as well of course in contributing to this important legislation. It responds directly to the concerns that provinces have raised with respect to their ability to hold violent repeat offenders to account through these amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada. We're creating additional safeguards which will make it harder for individuals with extensive criminal histories, particularly when it comes to violence with weapons an intimate partner violence to be released while they await trial. Guys, I say money tickets, your legislative
changes the victims of violent crime and hopefully it will be safer Is it a balanced approach, respects respecting fundamental rights as needed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of the well being dissuasive and solid? This in addition to restrictions on firearms that have been implemented of the past few years, also with prevention programs, as described by my colleagues that we've been throughout the country, in order to strike at the very heart of criminality. During this time, conservatives are offering no concrete solutions with regards to public safety. No
real plan to tackle violent crime. They're happy to mouth empty slogans and toe failed policies. Canadians need real solutions. This legislation table today is a key part of our government's plan to keep Canadians safe, supported Guava is an opportunity to speak with Premier Ford to acknowledge the important work that he did at changes solutions. And this legislation tabled today is a key part of our government's plan to keep Canadians safe. So pudsey dwelve, up to keep well,
first of all, we we as a as a piece of legislation, we responded to what the premiers asked for which was reverse illness in Section 95 and increased investments in things like guns and gangs, and we went further by adding another reverse on us the one you've referred to with respect to violent repeat offenders. We've added the community, the community consideration, and in there, we have also directed judges or justices of the peace to look at an offender's violent record. As a matter of course, so even though it's not in the reverse onus provision, it is in the general directives that we've added to this piece of legislation. So we've included violent offenders generally what we are doing, Tom is signaling to courts, we're signaling to crown prosecutors, that a person should not be out on bail, if they have a history of violence. And and so that's precisely what we're doing. We think we've chosen away to this charter complaint, and it certainly goes beyond what the premier has asked us to do in their letter to the Prime Minister
actually had a tough question on a different topic. And I'm just wondering if there's any update in terms of Have you got any update on why information about foreign interference didn't make it to cabinet and if there's any update on how many members of parliament you informed or spoken to about potential foreign interference?
I'll come to that in just a second. But I just want to add very quickly to what David said, that Mr. Pylab and the conservatives often come at Canadians with catchy slogans of what we've done today is to a concrete plan to reduce gun crime. And violence. And, you know, it is one thing to talk tough against criminals. But what we've done is in addition to tabling this legislation, last week, we introduced $390 million more for law enforcement. This comes in the wake of what has been a very difficult period for the policing family. I've been to every single one of the funerals of fallen police officers in the line of duty, which shows that in a very tangible and concrete way, we're doing what we need to to keep our community safe and also to support law enforcement. So I think it's just important to make sure that the record is clear about that. Secondly, as you've heard us say repeatedly that any violence
and if and as violent record, we responded to what the premier has asked for, which was reversed on us in Section 95 and increased investments in things like guns and gangs think we have chosen our condition
to tabling this legislation to light Ontarians $390 million more Canadians with
cabinet and if there's any update on how many members have questions on a different topic.
