Quebec wants changes to federal anti-crime bill

Quebec Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier (PHOTO BY TIM SNOW/ POSTMEDIA NEWS)

KEVIN DOUGHERTY
Postmedia News

QUEBEC — Quebec Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier proposed amendments Tuesday to the federal government’s C-10 omnibus anti-crime bill, which calls for tougher treatment for criminals, including young offenders.

Quebec wants changes so the province can maintain its own approach, which favours the rehabilitation of young offenders.

The federal Conservative government is promoting “protection of the public” by immediately putting young offenders in prison, without a program to bring them back into society. But Fournier proposes “long-term protection of the public,” aimed at stopping young offenders from becoming repeat offenders.

Fournier also wants the law to “favour” rehabilitation, rather than “encourage” it, a word the provincial Liberal government regards as weaker.

And Quebec wants the power to opt out of a provision in C-10 that would allow publication of the names of young offenders.

Fournier told reporters the Supreme Court of Canada agrees with Quebec’s approach of keeping secret the names of young offenders, explaining that revealing their names makes it more difficult for them to rejoin society.

He said Quebec’s approach does not mean young offenders get off more easily. Instead, they are held in youth protection and given therapy and counselling so they change their ways, he said.

Using this approach, Fournier added, Quebec has the best record in Canada in dealing with young offenders, while the federal government has not proved why its proposals to treat young offenders like adults, in some cases, would work better.

As things stand, he said, a Quebec Youth Court judge has choices in dealing with a young offender and must ask questions like: “Who is this young offender? Why is he here?”

Often, with 14- and 15-year-olds, that means youth protection and counselling, Fournier noted.

Under C-10, he said, a judge would not have other options and a young offender could be sentenced to an adult prison, with no regard to rehabilitation.

Fournier presented Quebec’s position to a Commons committee on Nov. 1, but Conservative MPs appeared unmoved. He said he has not been able to discuss Quebec’s position with federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, and acknowledged it is unusual for a provincial minister to propose amendments to a federal bill.