Category: mandatory minimum sentence

Justice Minister Defends Bill Removing Mandatory Minimum Sentences Under Senate Review

Defending his government’s bill to remove mandatory minimum sentences before a Senate committee, Attorney General and Justice Minister David Lametti said individuals in dire financial circumstances who are arrested for dealing small amounts of illegal drugs shouldn’t be incarcerated. Testifying before the Senate legal committee on Sept. 21, Lametti said that minimum mandatory penalties were having…


Victims’ Rights Advocates Weigh in on Ottawa’s Plan to Axe Minimum Sentences

New legislation introduced by the Liberals would eliminate many minimum sentences for drug offences and some gun-related crimes, a move that has drawn a mixed response from victims’ rights advocates. Introduced Feb. 18, Bill C-22 seeks to repeal mandatory minimum penalties (MMPs) for 14 Criminal Code offences, including 11 involving firearms. All six minimum penalties…