QUESTION PERIOD — Justice
Repeat Offenders
February 28, 2024
Senator Gold, on Monday, the Deputy Chief of Police with the Toronto Police Service told a House committee the following:
Whether it is a carjacking, or a break and enter, or a home invasion, criminals are getting far too brazen in their methods to steal vehicles, and causing residents across Toronto an incredible amount of fear and anxiety.
Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said that since the beginning of this year — and we’re nearing the end of February, so that’s two months — there have been 17 home invasions and over 32 carjackings in Toronto — double the amount there were at this time last year.
Leader, the deputy chief also said that 50% of those involved who are apprehended are repeat offenders. Will this government use some common sense and ensure that repeat violent car thieves stay in jail?
Thank you for your question. The Government of Canada is doing its part with regard to auto thefts. I’ve outlined the measures it has taken, working in collaboration with the RCMP, border security and, of course, the provinces — who have responsibility for policing in their provinces — and the municipalities, like that of Toronto, that have a municipal police force.
The areas of jurisdiction over home invasions really fall beyond the federal jurisdiction but pertain to the administration of justice, which is also under provincial jurisdiction.
With regard to what I think was implicit in your question, senator, which is whether amendments to the Criminal Code might be contemplated, there are no such amendments being contemplated to add mandatory penalties or the like nor — may I add — for politicians to get involved in judicial decisions about sentencing or parole decisions, for that matter.
Senator Gold, it’s not just a problem in Toronto. The Deputy Chief of Police for Peel Regional Police told the committee that over the last two years, there were 185 carjackings in Peel. He also raised the case of an international student who was killed in a violent carjacking in Peel.
Why is the Trudeau government abandoning law-abiding and hard-working Ontarians by refusing to ensure that repeat offenders get jail and not bail?
Senator, it is tragic that people are killed, and it is horrible that people lose their property. But we have a judicial system and a Constitution that provide for judicial assessment of bail and also judicial discretion in the application of criminal law. That’s how it should be in a democracy such as Canada.
