- Member of Parliament
- Minister of Health
- Liberal
- Ajax
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 64%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $134,982.00
- Government Page
- Jun/16/23 11:55:24 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, let me again clearly explain that the choice to transfer a person who is incarcerated is a choice that is made independently by the correctional service. It is essential that Correctional Service Canada operate independently, free from politics.
Now, we are asking Correctional Service Canada to conduct an investigation to determine whether it is possible to change this decision. In two weeks, we will have a response.
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- Jun/16/23 11:51:25 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, first of all, all of us stand up against monsters like Bernardo. That is why we ran: to keep our communities safe. The principle difference is that we are saying we have to use evidence and make sure we use reasoned, levelled arguments. The Correctional Service has always been independent.
Yesterday there was UC motion. I find this interesting because when I talk to the opposition House leader, he often tells me that we cannot use UC motions to just blow through the process. He complains that they are used in that way, and then they move a massive change that would change how we deal with corrections. They have said that they should not be used that way.
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- Jun/16/23 11:43:27 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, there is a peppering of partisan comments here. I would just say that this is a deeply serious issue about crimes that every single one of us were impacted by.
As I said earlier, this is a decision that was made by Correctional Service Canada and we have long made sure throughout the history of our country, that it operates independently of the actions of politics. We have been very careful to ensure that politics is not inserted in that process.
If we want to have a conversation about the outrage we feel about this crime—
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- Jun/16/23 11:42:14 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the Conservative partisan interest in disliking the minister has been well-established, and they continue to repeat that.
That is a separate conversation from the conversation we need to have about this situation, which is greatly upsetting to everyone. A decision was made, independent of government, by Correctional Service Canada to make a transfer effective, and that is something that we are deeply concerned about. That is why there is a review. In two weeks' time, Correctional Service Canada could come back with its decision. I fundamentally reject the premise that the approach the member is talking about would work. It has failed everywhere in the world.
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- Jun/16/23 11:37:17 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, that is not the case at all. It is very unfortunate that such things are being said, especially when we know that our correctional system is founded on independence and that we have one of the best correctional systems in the world.
If they want to discuss the importance of this issue and the emotions it stirs up, that is entirely valid. However, it is important to have that conversation responsibly and honestly.
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- Jun/16/23 11:27:00 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, as the member across the way understands, the decision to transfer an incarcerated person is an independent choice. That is essential in our system. The decision in the case in question was a choice made by Correctional Service Canada. It is very important not to politicize such a serious issue.
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- Jun/15/23 2:51:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when we talk about these issues, I would suggest that they require enormous sensitivity. I am concerned that the Conservatives are peppering every question with partisan commentary and trying to extract political advantage from this situation.
I have attempted, as I have talked about this, to talk about our responsibility. We have one of the greatest correctional services systems in the world. It is admired all over the world, and one of its principle tenets is to not interfere with it politically.
We all rightly feel outrage about this transfer. We have great emotion about the crimes that occurred, but we need to deal with that emotion responsibly and make—
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- Jun/15/23 2:49:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member across has made clear, not just now but for a long time, her desire for her party to be successful and for it to get on this side. They have to do that through an election.
I will say, on this issue, that the decision made was independent. If we want to have a conversation about Correctional Services's decision, that is exactly what we are doing. There is a review taking place, which concludes in two weeks. We have asked it to review this decision, and I think understanding that these decisions are done independently is important. It has been an important foundation of corrections in this country.
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- Jun/15/23 2:48:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, as every Canadian knows, the crimes that are in question are among the most grievous this country has ever faced. There is not a person in the House who is not impacted by them. I trust that the member cares deeply about it, as do I.
However, the assertion that this is a decision of the government is false and, in fact, it is dangerous. The decision to transfer inmates is a decision of Correctional Service Canada. The independence of our Correctional Services has been a foundation of our country for a very long time.
Having a mature conversation about how we respect that and respect victims is what I think Canadians expect.
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- Jun/15/23 2:42:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious situation. Everyone was concerned about this tragedy.
However, it is important to remember that our correctional system is independent. It is essential that the decision to transfer someone be made by the correctional service.
Now, there are a lot of emotions, and I understand that. I feel the same way, but we have to talk—
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- Jun/15/23 2:37:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the duty that each of us share as hon. members in this chamber is, on behalf of the people whom we are fortunate enough to represent, to attempt to the best of our ability to keep them safe; to make sure that when they are harmed we do everything in our power to restore them; and to make sure, yes, that we have a corrections system that is free from interference. Why do we say that? Because we have one of the best correctional services systems in the world.
If we are talking about the rightful outrage that we all have in this circumstance, we have to temper it in a mature conversation on how to balance those two priorities.
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- Jun/15/23 2:35:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not know the member for Peterborough—Kawartha well, but I do know that she is very sincere when she cares about these cases, and she would know that the Prime Minister would be deeply impacted as a father and as a Canadian by the horror of these crimes. Any assertion to the opposite is just frankly not constructive to the debate that we need to have.
I said that Correctional Services operates independently and that it cannot be interfered with politically. I would also say that we have to be very careful, when dealing with the victims of crime, that we do not politicize that or attempt to use it in a way other than to ask how we stop—
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- Jun/15/23 2:34:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I stated, in March, staff were informed of the possibility of a transfer. There were still many details that were not certain. It was not until the end of May, once the details were confirmed, that the Prime Minister was briefed.
I would say for the member opposite, who knows that Correctional Services is independent and that decisions must not be made with political interference, is that we have to have a conversation, as a House, about how we do not interfere with Correctional Services but also ensure that a transfer of this nature does not occur. That needs to be a mature conversation that does not involve a lot of politics.
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- Jun/15/23 2:33:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely true that the crime in question probably comes close to being Canada's most serious crime. It is such a serious crime. I can also say with certainty that our correctional system is independent. As I explained earlier, staff were informed of the possibility that the individual in question might be transferred. Once all the details were confirmed, the Prime Minister was informed. It was—
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- Jun/15/23 2:29:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are, in all instances, ready to have a conversation about how we do not politicize our correctional services, about how we ensure that we take care of victims and their families. There is a review of the decision that was made by the Correctional Service. It is going to be completed in two weeks. I would suggest that we take a look at that.
I would also suggest that, when we are dealing with something as major as changing our correctional services system, it deserves discussion and it deserves the ability for it to be examined by all parliamentarians and to make sure that we do not create unintended consequences.
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- Jun/15/23 2:28:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would say that I am looking directly at the leader of the official opposition for a reason. I am looking at him for a reason because when we are dealing with something as serious and as brutal as the crimes that occurred in a community that was right next to mine, that I felt viscerally, the conversation that we have has to be measured. It has to be based on co-operation and, frankly, it needs to be based on the underlying premise that every member cares equally and deeply about this, about two things, about the victims absolutely but also about not politicizing our correctional services system.
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- Jun/15/23 2:26:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I know the member opposite cares as deeply about the gravity as those crimes and the impact on the families as I do. I know he cares as deeply about what we are going to do for Canadians on that. I also know that he knows the independence of our correctional services system. I know that he also knows that we are not supposed to interfere politically.
I would ask him to work collaboratively with us to find a way where we do not politicize Correctional Service of Canada, and we work together to make sure that the families who are impacted by crimes of this nature are taken care of.
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- Jun/15/23 2:25:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, the idea that anybody in this House would have any sympathy for the monstrous acts that were committed is absolutely repugnant.
The second thing I will say is that it is unfortunate that the Leader of the Opposition mis-characterizes what happened. He knows very well that the Correctional Service of Canada makes those decisions independently. He knows very well that we have a system where we are not supposed to interfere politically with that.
It is true, in March, that staff were informed of the possibility. It was not until that possibility was confirmed that they informed the Prime Minister at the end of May.
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- Jun/15/23 2:24:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the crimes in question were atrocious. Crimes like that defy description.
They affected people across the country. They traumatized not only the victims' family members, without question, but all Canadians.
First of all, the correctional system is independent. Keeping our correctional system free from political interference is imperative.
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- Jun/14/23 2:59:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, all of us, unfortunately, have had our lives touched by crime. That is something that some have to live with, and in the case of these victims, it has been in the most horrific and awful way.
The only thing that is gendered about it is that women, unfortunately, are more often the victims than not. Having responsible, mature conversations about that and about how we deal with the Correctional Service of Canada, which is independent and cannot be directed by us, and how we create policies that make sure we have the right outcomes is the conversation that we need to have.
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