CPAC - Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 07:00 p.m. (ET) - Segment #1

standards of decorum, parliamentary language, and behaviour. We will now begin >> The Chair: The honourable member from Fundy Royal. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's an honour to be able to participate this evening in this important debate. I want to state at the outset I will be stating my time for the last five minutes with the member from Thornhill. I'm going to start off with an easy question for the Minister to get things started. In what year did your liberal party form its majority government? See mecha liberal party formed the majority government in 2015. >> Thank you, minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's important. 2015, because you're going to hear the number 2015 quite a bit. And I will note, minister, that's when you were first appointed, you said one of the things that you said in your new role was that's for Canadians Canadians, it was empirically unlikely that Canada is becoming less safe. And I would say that's Canadians would say that that is not true. I would say Statistics Canada would say that's not true. So another question, minister, there has been a shift in the crime rate since 2015 that we are going to talk about this evening. But on the serious criminal code offence of homicide, has that gone up or down since the liberals formed government in 2015? >> The honourable Minister of Justice. >> In respect to the comments from the minister of Fundy Royal, what I said previously in this chamber was upon initial appointment -- appointment, I did not receive briefings to crime statistics. Since that time, late August and early September, I received statistical briefings and they have indeed gone up in Canada. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Fundy Royal. >> Three U, speaker, that's tremendously unfortunate that before even being briefed, he was telling Canadians that it was all in their head that we were experiencing a crisis in our justice system but in fact, it's not all in Canadians heads. The stats tell us that violent crime has gone up tremendously. In fact, the rate of homicide has gone up 43 percent since 2015. The highest it's been in 30 years, Mr. Speaker. So through you, what about gang related homicides, minister, have those going up or down since 2015? >> Once again, I appreciate the first question but not the tone of the last two questions. I never use the term about things being fictitious, I asked for empirical evidence. I've been given the empirical evidence and that empirical evidence demonstrates crime has gone up. >> Actually, what's the minister said through you, speaker, was his role was to tell Canadians it was empirically unlikely, I'm quoting the minister, empirically unlikely Canada is becoming less safe. In fact, violent crime is up 39 percent. Now that she has been briefed, with the minister tell us, gang related homicides, how much according to Statistics Canada have those going up since 2015, only nine years ago? >> What I can indicate to Canadians is my job as minister of justice is to work to keep Canadians safe in their communities and their homes. I understand violent crime has grown up which is why I'm taking measures to indeed do exactly that. Some of the measures taken include change to the bail system including proposing different penalties and tougher penalties for things like automobile theft. >> Mr. Speaker, unfortunately just the opposite of true. Every step this government has taken in the last nine years has made the situation worse. When it comes to violence and crime, can the minister tell Canadians tonight how much has violent gun crime, according to Statistics Canada, on up since 2015? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> I'm pleased member has decided to raise issues about gun crimes. What I can indicate to Canadians is as we take gun violence very seriously. That's why we've taken steps and initiatives such as an assault rifle ban, things such as a national ban and freeze on the sale of handguns. That was done with Bill C-see 21 -- Bill C-21 which the member voted against. >> If it wasn't so serious, it would be laughable.

The minister talking about steps as government has taken. I'll answer the question, islands gun crime is up since 2015 alone, 101 percent since the liberals took office. So Mr. Speaker, we are hearing from the minister about what he's doing but unfortunately, the statistics tells everything they are doing every step of the way has been to make Canadians less safe. Speaking of which, the rates of police reported sexual assault since 2015, does the minister have that number? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister of Justice. >> What I can indicate to the minister opposite is when he and his party voted against initiatives to keep Canadians safe, I think the sincerity of the questions like the one you just put to me, Bill C-21 talks about a national freeze on the sale, purchased and transfer of handguns and he voted against that. It would increase penalty for firearm trafficking, he voted against it. Penalties to stop ghost guns, he's voted against that. If there were sincerity with the member opposites, I would've pursued him to his voting would have been in the opposite. >> Mr. Speaker, I will answer the question, sexual assaults are up 71 percent since 2015 when the liberals took government nine years ago. It's beyond ironic that the minister questions why we on this side as conservatives wouldn't support their agenda. Of course we don't support their agenda, we want to make Canada a place where it's safe, where kids can play and parents can send their kids to school and not to be worried about them. Canada is a less safe place under this government and the minister in his answers tonight has shown no indication whatsoever that he's prepared to reverse course. Mr. Speaker, April 21st, an individual in Victoria stole a vehicle. He was arrested by the Victoria police and taken before a court and he was let out on bail. On April 22nd, the same individual -- the same individual goals stole another. The police did their job, they arrested him, he was brought before a judge and let out. April 23rd, 3 days in a row, this individual was arrested for a third time for breaking into a house to steal a motor vehicle. Mr. Speaker, through you, does the minister know where the Victoria police laid the blame for this outrageous development that someone in Canada could be arrested three times in successive days and be let out on bail each time? >> The Chair: The honourable I'm Minister of Justice. >> I think the member first question and there are a number of points. The first point in respect of Canadian safety, what I would put is also in Bill C-21 which he voted against dealt with intimate partner violence and things like red flag laws. Those have become law no thanks to him and his party with their voting pattern. Red flag laws allow police to intercept firearms from the home of someone deemed to be a threat to their partner or other individuals. That's called keeping Canadians safe. I object to the premise out right of his earlier question. With respect to bail, bill is a determination made by actors in the justice system including justices of the peace. We have taken steps to strengthen the bail system to keep Canadians safe. On that piece, I will credit the member. He voted in favour of Bill C-48 which deals with serious violent repeat offenders where there's now a reverse onus in terms of procuring. That's a step in the right direction in terms of keeping Canadians safe. >> Mr. Speaker, given the minister a lot of opportunities. He hasn't answered directly any of my questions. He knows the answer to this one and he's not going to give it so I will have to give it on his behalf. The Victoria police statement says Bill C-75, which was introduced by this government, came into effect nationally in 2019, legislated principle of restraint that requires police to release and recuse person at the earliest possibility. The police laid the blame for this individual being released three times in a row to re- victimize Canadians, a woman was injured in the process calculated squarely at the feet of this minister. So to the minister, on the issue of their draconian Bill C-63, which Margaret Atwood has described as Orwellian, has he completed a charter statement for this bill that clearly threatens the rights of Canadians? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> I find this line of questioning quite fascinating given that the charter issue at issue in Bill C-63 deals with the sensitive issues of protections of freedom of speech

protected under section two B. Well I will do is maintain my oath and of the Constitution to uphold the Constitution and People's charter of rights. This individual works under a leader who is brandished the idea of using the notwithstanding clause to decry people of their charter rights. Section two B is subject to the notwithstanding clause. If were talking about who's committed to protecting People's freedoms including freedom of speech, I think people should be looking at themselves in the mirror on that side of the house. >> The Chair: Now to the member of Thornhill for five minutes. >> Mr. Chair, how many cars were stolen in Canada in 2015? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> Mr. Speaker, what I can indicate is auto theft is on the rise in Canada right now. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> Does the minister know the number of cars stolen in 2015? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> I'm aware that auto theft is on the rise in Canada as we speak. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> I will give him one more opportunity, does he know the number of cars stolen in 2015? Is not a difficult question. >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> I'm aware that scar theft is on the rise in Canada. That's where were taking aggressive steps to address it including in the fall economic statement, including in the budget, including the the national plan to deal with auto theft revealed Monday. >> The Chair: I was watching at home -- and watching at home that sees the minister doesn't want to answer, 78,949. Does the minister know how many cars were stolen in 2022? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> The number I'm being provided with from officials is 105,673. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> He does is answer to these questions. Can you say what percentage increase in car theft has taken place between 2015 and 2022? >> I'm sure the member from Thornhill -- from Thornhill has a calculator and can do the calculation. >> The Chair: The honourable Minister from Thornhill. >> All us the minister for a noncondescending answer. >> I'm aware the number has gone up. The number of car thefts in Canada in 2022 is 105,673 vehicles. If the member is committed to combating auto theft, she should get behind the fall economic statement and budget 2024 which deals with auto theft initiatives. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> The answer is 34 points 1 percent. I'm sure the Minister of Justice can also find a calculator. Can you tell the percentage of increase in car theft from 2015 to 2022 in the province of Ontario, his province and mine? >> The honourable Minister. >> I appreciate the number of car thefts are up in various provinces around the country, I do not have the statistics for Ontario. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> It's 122 and a half percent in Ontario. How about just Toronto? >> The honourable Minister. >> I'm in contact with law enforcement in Toronto including the TPS and they have advised me car thefts are asked, -- are up. I don't have the specific Quantum. We are taking aggressive steps to deal with car theft in Toronto. >> The Chair: If you read the newspaper he would know it's 300 percent. How many cars have been stolen from the Minister of Justice? >> The honourable Minister of Justice. >> I've never had my personal car stolen. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> Mr. Speaker, that's very clever. How many cars were stolen from the Minister of Justice before this minister? >> The honourable Minister of Justice. >> I'm aware the previous Minister's car provided to him as Minister was taken from him twice. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill. >> Mr. Speaker, is three times since 2019. Does the minister not agree car theft is a problem? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister of Justice. >> I believe if the member from Thornhill was listening, I indicated car theft is on the rise. Car theft is a serious problem. I said that many times and we've taken significant steps to address it. >> The Chair: The honourable member from Thornhill has one minute left. >> Would the minister answer a question about why he wouldn't support mandatory minimums for those who repeat stealing cars in Ontario all over Canada and in Toronto? >> The Chair: The honourable Minister. >> As of indicated in the

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