Senator Boisvenu: If I’d come up with a long list, very few of my colleagues would have been inclined to make drastic changes to Bill C-5, so I’m focusing on crimes associated with domestic violence in particular. It often starts with harassment and sexual assault, and the situation always gets worse if those crimes aren’t severely punished when they’re committed in a context of domestic violence. You can be certain that in 2023, 2024 and 2025, the number of murdered women will increase.

Senator Boisvenu: I have another question. The last three or four rulings of the Supreme Court in matters of domestic violence, and those of the Quebec Court of Appeal in particular, found that judges need to impose harsher sentences. We need to send Canadian society a clear message. Does Bill C-5 send a tough message regarding domestic violence?

[English]

Senator Boisvenu: The ones we were looking at are the ones that are in the bill. As I said earlier, these are the most common offences and they go hand in hand with family violence. I’m adding them because according to the data I obtained on conditional sentences, currently 80% of men who assault a woman serve a conditional sentence. On average, that sentence is six months. Removing crimes from the Criminal Code or adding even more domestic violence crimes to the Criminal Code will ensure that fewer men will be incarcerated and that more men will be released. When we see that in many cases the conditions are not respected, especially orders to stay away from the victim, I think that we’re putting women’s safety at even greater risk.

Senator Simons: I think a clear message does need to be sent to society that we will not tolerate domestic violence and we will not tolerate the minimizing of domestic violence. I think Senator Manning’s speech the other day was profoundly moving. The stories he told from his own community — I don’t want to say they should inspire us — should move us to stand with you, with Senator Boniface, with Senator Hartling, with Senator Audette and with all the senators who have dedicated their lives to fighting domestic violence. I think that this is a time on this topic when we can wisely put aside any kind of ideological or party/partisan politics and speak with one voice in this Senate that this is something we will not condone and will not tolerate.

(On motion of Senator Duncan, debate adjourned.)

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Duncan, seconded by the Honourable Senator Clement, for the third reading of Bill S-236, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment Insurance Regulations (Prince Edward Island), as amended.

And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Ringuette, seconded by the Honourable Senator Petitclerc:

That Bill S-236, an Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment Insurance Regulations (Prince Edward Island), as amended, be not read a third time, but that it be referred back to the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to hear from the Parliamentary Budget Officer concerning his office’s fiscal analysis on the bill; and

That the committee report to the Senate no later than November 15, 2022.

And on the subamendment of the Honourable Senator Black, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dagenais:

That the motion in amendment be not now adopted, but that it be amended by:

1.adding the words “additional witnesses, including” between the words “to hear from” and “Parliamentary Budget Officer” in the first paragraph; and

2.by deleting the final paragraph.