Actions and Commitments

Call to Action # 30: Justice (25-42)

Mandate letter to Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada

December 16, 2020

The January 2021 mandate letter to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada David Lametti states as a priority to “introduce legislation and make investments that take action to address systemic inequities in the criminal justice system, including to promote enhanced use of pre- and post-charge diversion and to better enable courts to impose sentences appropriate to the circumstances of individual cases.

First Reading of Bill Feb. 18, 2021 – Bill C-22 “An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act”.  The Bill would repeal mandatory minimum penalties for all drug offences and some firearm offences, expand the use of conditional sentences, such as house arrest, for a variety of criminal offenses; and encourage police and prosecutors to keep drug possession cases out of the courts (Toronto Star, Feb. 19, 2021). Died in parliaManet