Ottawa, ON – Today, Jeff Kibble, Conservative Member of Parliament for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, was honoured to see his Private Member’s Bill C-235 passed by the House of Commons at Second Reading to refer it quickly to committee for further study.
Bill C-235, the Respecting Families of Murdered and Brutalized Persons Act, would amend the Criminal Code to empower judges to extend the parole ineligibility period for a person convicted of abduction, sexual assault and murder of the same victim in the same instance until the person has served a sentence of between twenty-five and forty years.
“The purpose of this bill, which I have reiterated in my interventions in the House, is to bring justice for victims and show compassion for family members and loved ones,” said Kibble. “I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to all of my colleagues who have sponsored and spoken to my Private Members Bill, and especially to James Bezan, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, for first introducing this bill over a decade ago.”
Bill C-235 has now been referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights for further study.
“This is about justice for victims. It is about sparing loved ones from the parole hearing process that forces them to relive the worst moments of their lives over and over again,” Kibble concluded. “By supporting this Bill, we can show Canadians that we stand with victims’ families and loved ones while respecting the memory of those they have lost.”