Restorative justice | Mennonite Central Committee

Law and order legislation successfully crosses finish line

On Monday, March 12th, the Conservative government made good on an official election promise: to pass a sweeping crime bill within just 100 sitting days of the 41st Parliament.

Bill C-10 passes third reading in the House of Commons

In a vote late on December 5, Bill C-10, the government's Safe Streets and Communities Act, cleared the House of Commons and was sent to the Senate. Given the Conservative majority, the fate of the bill was never in doubt, although the vote was split clearly along party lines.

New restorative justice resource available on-line

Church Council on Justice and Corrections releases new resource

MCC and Bill C-10

Mennonite Central Committee continues to express concern over Bill C-10, the federal government’s Safe Streets and Communities Act.

The history of Bill C-10

Initiative	Former number	Description	Final stage in previous Parliament	Level of consideration by a Parliamentary Committee
Protecting Children from Sexual Predators Act	Bill C-54	Proposes increased penalties for sexual offences against children, as well as creates two new offences aimed at conduct that could facilitate or enable the commission of a sexual offence against a child.	Second reading in the Senate on Mar. 24, 2011 (approved by the House of Commons)	House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights: Report with no amendments approved after 13 hours of study.
Penalties for Organized Drug Crime Act	Bill S-10	Would target organized crime by imposing tougher sentences for the production and possession of illicit drugs for the purposes of trafficking.	First reading in the House of Commons on Dec. 14, 2010 (approved by Senate).	Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Report recommending amendments to bill approved after 18 hours of study.
Sébastien's Law (Protecting the Public from Violent Young Offenders)	Bill C-4	Would ensure that violent and repeat young offenders are held accountable for their actions and the protection of society is a paramount consideration in the treatment of young offenders by the justice system.	Referred to committee by the House of Commons on May 3, 2010.	House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights: Did not complete clause-by-clause study after 28 hours of study.
Ending House Arrest for Property and Other Serious Crimes by Serious and Violent Offenders Act	Bill C-16	Would eliminate the use of conditional sentences, or house arrest, for serious and violent crimes.	Referred to committee by the House of Commons on May 16, 2010.	House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights: Not studied.
Increasing Offender Accountability Act	Bill C-39	Would enshrine a victim's right to participate in parole hearings and address inmate accountability, responsibility, and management under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.	Referred to committee by the House of Commons on Oct. 20, 2010.	House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security: Not studied.
Eliminating Pardons for Serious Crimes Act	Bill C-23B	Would extend the ineligibility periods for applications for a record suspension (currently called a "pardon") to five years for summary conviction offences and to ten years for indictable offences.	Referred to committtee by the House of Commons on June 17, 2010.	House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security: Did not complete clause-by-clause study after 4 hours of study.
Keeping Canadians Safe (International Transfer of Offenders) Act	Bill C-5	Would add additional criteria that the Minister of Public Safety could consider when deciding whether or not to allow the transfer of a Canadian offender back to Canada to serve their sentence.	Committee report presented to House of Commons on Feb. 17, 2011.	House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security: Report recommending amendments approved after 6 hours of study.
Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act and related amendments to the State Immunity Act	Bill S-7	Would allow victims of terrorism to sue perpetrators and supporters of terrorism, including listed foreign states, for loss or damage that occurred as a result of an act of terrorism committed anywhere in the world.	First reading in House of Commons on Feb. 8, 2011 (approved by Senate).	Special Senate Committee on Anti-Terrorism: Report with no amendments approved after 4.5 hours of study.
Preventing the Trafficking, Abuse and Exploitation of Vulnerable Immigrants Act	Bill C-56	Would authorize immigration officers to refuse work permits to vulnerable foreign nationals when it is determined that they are at risk of humiliating or degrading treatment, including sexual exploitation or human trafficking.	First reading in House of Commons on Nov. 19, 2010.	N/a

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:4ChUQyVkvGAJ:www.eicc.info/documents/Conflict-FreeSmelterFAQ.pdf+Conflict-Free+Smelter+program&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESj0Nog_eD1wnYUOK6bMuv9_w4K2sxVmp9DqThziNvRP5kuyYRRhaHGJSkMzXdsbpgmUiFUgTJPpA15s7Eom2FO0OluJnA2JUBJJdJwXxOQW0wfi_mqp9Fl565M_hSz8Jr4j62Oh&sig=AHIEtbSBfI0p2eO0zxe8rjF32bqpSCjIrA&pli=1

Government presses ahead with ambitious crime legislation

On September 20, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson introduced Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, in the House of Commons.

Advocate for change: Bill C-10

The Ottawa Office thanks constituents, friends and supporters for joining us in expressing concern over Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act as it moved through the House of Commons. In a vote late on December 5, this bill was approved and sent to the Senate.

Bill C-10 is an ambitious piece of legislation, totalling 102 pages that spell out amendments to 6 existing laws and the creation of one new law. It brings together nine separate initiatives that had been introduced in previous sessions of Parliament.

While the government insists that this bill “will target crime and terrorism and provide support and protection to victims of crime,” it is clear that these measures will primarily impact offenders and ex-offenders. Four of the nine initiatives in this bill propose longer or mandatory prison sentences, two would impose greater financial penalties, and two would create new barriers to reintegrating into society. In contrast, only two of the nine initiatives directly address the needs of victims, and none of the initiatives propose new crime prevention or rehabilitation strategies.

MCC’s programmatic experience in the field of restorative justice suggests that communities are not made safer when we focus almost all of our attention on the punishment of wrongdoers.

See MCC Canada's letter to Minister Rob Nicholson on Bill C-10.
See Wilma Derksen's statement to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Church Council on Justice and Corrections sends letter to Prime Minister

On December 17, 2010, CCJC sent a letter to the Prime Minister expressing concern over the government's plans to increase the capacity of Canada’s prison system, and to continue introducing legislation that will result in higher rates of incarceration.

More prisons won’t improve public safety

"Spending more money on bricks and mortar will not create safer communities,” said James Loewen, coordinator of Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) restorative justice programs in Canada. “It is people supporting people that reduce crime—it is not bricks and mortar.”