QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Justice
Protection of First Responders
May 28, 2026
Minister, thank you for being with us here today.
While I welcome the unanimous passage of Bill S-233 at second reading in the other place yesterday, the fact remains that the protections it seeks to provide for our first responders are long overdue. Given the bill’s unanimous support and the fact that it is a straightforward reintroduction of previously adopted legislation by the House, I think we can agree that our front-line heroes shouldn’t have to wait any longer for these protections.
I would like a commitment from you, minister, to ensure that Bill S-233 is passed before the House rises for the summer.
Thank you, senator. I share your enthusiasm for the adoption of the bill, and, of course, you will have noted our support for it, as well, in the House.
There are other cooks in the kitchen, so to speak, who control the parliamentary agenda. To give you some reassurance, my interest is to adopt these protections as soon as possible. I would note, in particular, similar measures complementary in nature that are included in Bill C-14, which treats crimes committed against first responders in the line of duty as an aggravating factor. Those two bills work very well together to extend protections to those on the front line.
My interest is seeing both adopted as expeditiously as could possibly be the case. Of course, the House leadership team, with the respective parties in the House, will have something to say on the matter.
Thank you, minister.
Bill S-233 predates Bill C-14, as you already know, and it’s not in competition with it. It does not contradict it nor is it redundant to the provisions contained in Bill C-14. On the contrary, it complements the government’s legislation by strengthening much-needed protection for our first responders.
So, thank you for that, and thank you for your support.
I hope you’ll do your best to get some of those cooks out of the kitchen, because, as we all know, when there are too many cooks in the kitchen, we sometimes burn the delicious meal that we ought to be enjoying.
Excellent. Thank you.
Just to perhaps drive home the importance of these measures to me, the issues at question in the legislation that you’ve put to me were raised with me not only in my capacity as Minister of Justice but also by a first responder in my community, in Vaughn, who asked me to take a look at these issues, specifically. I am thrilled to see them moving forward. We will do what we can in my office to advance things.
However, not being the head chef on matters of the legislative agenda, I’m not in a position to make a promise I can’t personally deliver on, but you certainly have my word that I will make every effort to expeditiously advance the adoption of the bill.
