Jail, not Bail, fails in the House of Commons

OTTAWA (TIP): After an animated debate over the growing incidence of violence, especially by repeat offenders, Conservatives suffered yet another political reverse when their Bill C-242 fell through for want of support.

The Bill put to a vote on Monday, October 6, was defeated 196-142 as the Conservatives failed to get any support from members of other Opposition parties – Bloc Québécois and NDP.

Pursuant to Standing Order 45, the House on Monday proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of Arpan Khanna (representing Oxford) and seconded by Eric Melillo (Kenora-Kiiweinoong).

It said:
(a) violent crime is up 55% under the Liberal government, and repeat offenders continue to be released because of Liberal catch and release laws; and

(b) The Liberal government promised to pass criminal justice reform six months ago, but has failed to do so;

to keep repeat offenders in jail and keep Canadians safe, the House thinks that Bill C-242, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Department of Justice Act, also known as the Jail Not Bail Act, must pass and is committed to sitting extended hours, holding an expeditious committee study and undertaking such other procedural measures as may be necessary to pass it at the earliest opportunity.

The question was put on the motion, and it was negatived on the following division, as it got only 142 votes in its support while 196 opposed.

Earlier, last week, another Bill moved by the Conservatives also fell through for want of majority support.

Brought in by John Barlow, Conservative MP representing Foothills in Alberta, to demand an exemption on food taxation, also saw Bloc Québécois and NDP siding with the Liberals, to defeat it when the motion was put to a vote.

In his Bill, John Barlow held that since the Prime Minister said Canadians would judge him by the cost at the grocery store, and that,

(i) Food inflation was 70% above the Bank of Canada‘s target,

(ii) food prices were up 40% since the Liberals took power,

(iii) Daily Bread Food Bank expected 4 million visits to its food banks in 2025, and

(iv) Food bank use in Canada was up by 142% since 2015,

The House calls on the Liberal Prime Minister to stop taxing food by eliminating:

(a) the industrial carbon tax on fertilizer and farm equipment;

(b) the inflation tax (money-printing deficits);

(c) carbon tax two (the so-called clean fuel standard); and

(d) The food packaging tax (plastic ban and packaging requirements).

There was a wide-ranging debate on the Bill as both the Treasury and the Opposition Benches took sides in reacting to the rising prices of groceries in the country.

Finally, when the motion was put to a vote, it got only 138 votes in support while 194 went against it.

(Toronto based Prabhjot Singh is an award-winning journalist recognized for investigative journalism, environment and business reporting, sports and feature writing. A Media Consultant, he has remained associated with various news agencies, including Reuters, and media houses like PTC News (India/Canada), Parvasi Media (Canada) the Liberal World (India), and The Indian Panorama, New York. He is interested in Indian Diaspora and the Sikh Diaspora in particular. His work has appeared in various international and national newspapers, magazines and journals.)