Quebec minister wants omnibus crime bill changes
Fournier wants focus on long-term solutions for young offenders
CBC News
Posted: Nov 15, 2011 12:04 PM ET
Last Updated: Nov 15, 2011 12:11 PM ET
Related
Quebec Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier explains his proposed amendments to reporters, alongside Annick Murphy from the province's office of criminal and penal prosecutions. CBCQuebec's Justice Minister has drafted a list of three proposed amendments to the provisions regarding young offenders in the federal government's omnibus crime bill, and has sent it to a slew of senators and federal MPs.
Jean-Marc Fournier said he would like the bill to focus on the public being protected on a long-term basis from young offenders, and criticized the bill for favouring short-term solutions such as prison terms, over rehabilitation.
The amendments stem from Fournier's dramatic appearance before the House of Commons justice and human rights committee on Nov. 1.
He called the omnibus crime bill a "Band-Aid solution", and said Quebec would refuse to absorb the added costs associated with the bill. Fournier presented the province's position that Bill C-10 will end up causing more crime because it does not focus on the rehabilitation of criminals, and young offenders in particular.
Among his amendments, Fournier has also asked that each province be given the discretion to opt-out of the clause in Bill C-10 that could allow for the names of violent young offenders to be made public. Fournier said if Quebec followed the proposed clause, the identity of 6,000 young offenders could be at risk of being revealed from the last year alone.
The minister said Quebec believes revealing the name of a young offender creates a stigma that sticks for life, and giving provinces more leeway would allow them to choose a solution that fits with the reality in each region.
Fournier's final demand is to change one word in the French version of the drafted bill, saying "to promote" the rehabilitation of young offenders is more in line with Quebec's philosophy, rather than the verb used now: "to encourage" reintegration.
Fournier told reporters Tuesday that he had not yet spoken to his federal counterpart, Rob Nicholson, but that he hopes to at some point.
He also promised to release the amendments he would like to see made to the omnibus crime bill's clauses concerning adult offenders in the next few days.
Share Tools
Latest Montreal News Headlines
- Protesters march against GMO giant Monsanto in 250 cities
- Marches and rallies against seed giant Monsanto were held across Canada, the U.S. and in dozens of other countries Saturday. more »
- Electrosmog may cause health problems, group says
- A relatively new type of air pollution called electrosmog may be the cause of a variety of ailments, said the Quebec association to stop air pollution. more »
- At least 230 Rio Tinto jobs in jeopardy in Sorel-Tracy
- The company's management met with the union this week to present a restructuring plan that could result in significant job losses. more »
- Police ask for help in finding missing girl
- Montreal police are asking for the public's help in finding Gracia Younes, a 14-year-old girl who is thought to have run away last Saturday. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- 3 more suspects arrested in slaying of U.K. soldier
- British police investigating the savage killing of an off-duty soldier in London have arrested three more suspects. more »
- Hockey Canada votes to ban bodychecking in peewee hockey
- Hockey Canada's board of directors voted to eliminate bodychecking from peewee-level hockey on Saturday in Charlottetown. more »
- Neil Macdonald: How serious is Obama about curbing the drone surge?
- In a key speech this week, the U.S. president set out a host of supposed new safeguards for America's controversial practice of remote-controlled rough justice. But as Neil Macdonald writes, the underlying rationale for drone use has not fundamentally changed. more »
- Ontario man lost in Australian mountains has survival skills
- The sister of an Ontario man who disappeared in Australia's Snowy Mountains nearly two weeks ago says she remains hopeful he will be found, partly because of his training as a Canadian Forces reservist. more »
Most Viewed/Commented
- 28 students strip-searched at St-Jérôme high school
- Has Montreal's reputation taken a hit?
- Normand Lester in critical condition after car crash
- Police ask for help in finding missing girl
- Montreal lifts boil-water advisory
- Dachshunds strut their stuff as UN bosses
- NDP MP Tyrone Benskin 'truly sorry' for not paying taxes
- At least 230 Rio Tinto jobs in jeopardy in Sorel-Tracy
- Pierre's picks: 5 don't-miss events in Montreal this weekend

