April 27 2007

Mississauga East-Cooksville MP Albina Guarnieri has re-introduced her private members' bill to end the current practice of automatic concurrent sentences for multiple murderers and rapists.

The bill would provide judges with the ability to impose consecutive sentences for sexual assaults involving multiple victims and consecutive periods of parole ineligibility for first or second degree murder up to a maximum of fifty years.

In reintroducing the bill, Ms. Guarnieri said in the House of Commons:

"Eight years ago, this House passed the bill I am introducing today by an overwhelming margin because members then saw the need to give judges the ability to set fair and proportional sentences for multiple murderers, finally putting an end to Canada's automatic bulk rate for murder and sexual assault. However, the bill was not passed by the Senate before the general election 16 months later.

Mr. Speaker, A Pollara poll at the time found that 90 percent of Canadians supported consecutive sentencing for murder and rape. I urge members of this house to also support this bill because justice has to be measured and because every victim deserves a measure of justice."

While providing judges with full discretion to impose a fair and proportional sentence, the bill would require judges to provide reasons why the second, third, or eleventh victim should not count in the sentencing equation.

In 1999, the bill passed in the House of Commons by a vote of 117 to 40.

For Further information contact:
Robert Cline
(905) 566-0009
guarna@parl.gc.ca