QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Correctional Service Canada
September 28, 2026
Senator Moreau, Canadians were horrified to learn that a man who snatched a 10-year-old girl from her bike, raped and murdered her, and dumped her lifeless body into a lake, has been granted unescorted leave from prison for cooking classes. This degree of failure in our justice system would be unbelievable if it were not occurring with such alarming regularity.
My question is a simple one, and I think Canadians deserve an answer: Does the government believe that a child killer having unescorted community access is an acceptable outcome under Canada’s judicial system?
The fact that you related this as horrific is understandable, but I guess you are not suggesting that politics should come into negotiations for the release of any prisoner who has served their sentence. That’s why there is a specific commission in charge of that, and the government does not have a say in it.
Having said that, the government has modified the Criminal Code many times, even during the last session, making it very tough on crime. When a prisoner has served their sentence, it is up to the Canadian commission to decide whether they are fit for conditional release.
Be that as it may, I think our justice system has no room for politics.
Government leader, Canadians don’t want this to be politicized, but they want their politicians to ensure there is justice and fairness.
Consider what else Canadians learned this week: Correctional Service Canada has confirmed that it is handing out paper straws to inmates in order to snort drugs more safely. In a single week, we have an unescorted pass for a child murderer and government-supplied drug paraphernalia for inmates. Is that what the government considers functional public security in this country?
I think it’s clear that the government is getting tougher on crime. We agree with Canadians that we need a strong justice system to keep Canadians safe. That is the reason why we have adopted three major criminal justice bills: Bill C-9, Bill C-14 and Bill C-16. The safety and security of Canadians are main priorities for the government, and we will keep up that pace.
