CFSC submission on the omnibus crime bill (C-10) calls on the Government of Canada to “put resources into building a society that supports people to fulfill their greatest potential rather than into reactive punitive measures.”
Immediately following CFSC’s board meeting, a submission was made to the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST) which is studying Bill C-10, following the Bill’s passage of 2nd Reading in the House of Commons.
This is the stage at which the public and the cross-party membership of the committee can look at the Bill in greater detail and bring forward their concerns or support for the Bill, including suggested changes, etc.
CFSC’s concerns with the Bill are extensive – as are those of other partners in restorative justice work. Our recommendations are:
- Remove Bill C-10 from the order paper and reintroduce the disaggregated legislation with sufficient time for debate and study.
- Reject policies that aim mainly at punishment, and encourage policies that provide a meaningful focus on assisting persons affected by crime to redress for the losses they have suffered and rehabilitating people who have behaved in harmful ways to ensure that future crime rates continue to fall.9 We recommend this focus be based on sound research, and be carried out with the dignity, compassion and respect all human beings deserve.
- Implement the suggestions of the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children and Mennonite Central Committee Canada [which have also made submissions to the standing committee].
Once the standing committee has completed its consideration of the Bill, it will make decisions on any changes, the Bill will then come back to the House of Commons for 3rd and final reading.
CFSC’s submission is posted in the “public statements” area of the website; to read it, click on CFSC Submission on Bill C-10
Called the “most comprehensive agenda for crime reform since the introduction of the Criminal Code”, information on Bill C-10 can be found in the CBC articles What’s in the Tory crime bill – and what’s not and 9 Key elements of the crime bill
Creative commons photo credit for wire/prison pic on home page.