Respecting Families of Murdered and Brutalized Persons

Ottawa, ON - Today, Jeff Kibble, Conservative Member of Parliament for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, introduced his Private Member's Bill C-235, to extend parole ineligibility for individuals convicted of abduction, sexual assault and murder.

Bill C-235 aims to amend the Criminal Code to empower judges, following jury input, to extend the parole ineligibility period for a person convicted of abduction, sexual assault and murder of the same victim in respect of the same event or series of events is to be sentenced to imprisonment for life without eligibility for parole until the person has served a sentence of between twenty-five and forty years.

"We must do what we can to shield families of victims from the additional trauma often caused by parole hearings every two years, where offenders rehash heinous details of their crimes 'revictimizing' loved ones," said Kibble.

If passed, this important and timely legislation will:

• Allow jury recommendation: After conviction, the presiding judge may ask the jury whether they wish to recommend a longer parole ineligibility period (up to 40 years) before sentencing.
• Allow sentencing discretion: The judge, in consideration of the offender's character, the offences' nature and any jury recommendation, may choose to impose between 25 and 40 years of parole ineligibility at sentencing.

"Conservatives believe that ensuring that brutal murderers be denied parole ineligibility responds to the pressing public concern of families being revictimized during parole hearings," Kibble added. "This legislation responds in a proportional way to ensure that victims are spared the pain of having to relive their trauma, prepare for hearings that may ultimately change nothing, bear the emotional and financial costs and confront safety concerns without any real prospect of closure."