I’ve got some good news for you.

Despite the fixation of the Liberal Party and some media to paint the Hill as a hotbed of scandal, important work is being done on Parliament Hill. 

On the Justice front, the Government has re-introduced legislation that will end the use of house arrest for property and other serious crimes by serious and violent offenders.  The legislation makes it clear to the courts that those who commit serious property and violent offences will serve jail time, and house arrest will no longer be an option. 

This legislation was re-introduced because in its previous form it was amended to the point that it removed some of the serious offences that were proposed for ineligibility. As a result, offenders convicted of some serious property and violent offences – including among other things, aggravated assault, human trafficking, luring a child, street racing causing death, arson, fraud, counterfeiting, and extortion – remain eligible for conditional sentences, including house arrest.

Local police and the community have expressed their frustration at our revolving door justice system which sees chronic and violent offenders rotate in and out of the correctional and judicial systems fostering uncertainty and fear in our communities.  This legislation is a positive step to address that pattern and ensure meaningful consequences for serious and violent crimes.

The Minister of Justice also announced legislation to ensure serious time for the most serious crime: a bill to repeal the “faint-hope clause” that allows murderers to obtain early parole. 

Eliminating the faint-hope clause would ensure that criminals who commit first-degree murder would not be eligible for parole until they serve the full 25 years of their sentence. Similarly, offenders serving life imprisonment for second-degree murder would no longer be eligible for parole until their parole ineligibility period is served, which could be up to 25 years.

Once this legislation comes into force, offenders who commit murder on or after the day will no longer be eligible for early parole under the faint-hope regime and those who are currently serving their life sentence or awaiting sentence will face tougher rules when they apply.
Legislation has also been introduced to move forward on Senate Reform. 

It rubs many of us the wrong way to know that senators can serve terms of up to 45 years.  That is why the Government has introduced legislation that will limit the terms of new senators to a single 8 year term.

An eight-year term is long enough to allow senators to gain the experience necessary to fulfil the Senate’s important role in legislative review and investigation, while ensuring that the Senate is refreshed with new perspectives and ideas on a regular basis.

As you also know, the Conservative Government has long been committed to an accountable and elected Senate and that is why this week the government unveiled the next step in achieving that goal – the Senatorial Selection Act.

The Senatorial Selection Act encourages provinces to hold Senate elections and further obliges the Prime Minister to consider the democratically elected nominees.

The Government already demonstrated a commitment and willingness to appoint Senators voted in by the people with the appointment of Senator Bert Brown.  This Act demonstrates our continued desire to do so.
On the local front, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food came to town this week to hear from young farmers on the future of farming and to tour a few of our orchards and vineyards.  Despite the impression out there that big corporations run most farms, 98% of farms are still family owned but they need help.

But they face some serious challenges.  Our committee witnesses, several of them second or third generation young farmers and producers, identified some of the more serious challenges they face today including the high cost of land and low returns and margins, a lack of research specifically in horticulture to develop new varieties, education that helps young farmers implement new technology, improve pest and disease management, and implement new farming methods as well as other challenges including water availability, labour shortages, and regulations which hurt competitiveness.

I want to thank the farmers who came forward to testify before the Committee.  I know it’s hard at this time of year when the weather is good to take the time to come out and speak but my colleagues appreciated the effort and you did an excellent job providing a comprehensive list of the challenges you face.  The solutions are there if everyone from the farm to the marketplace including consumers do their part to strengthen the Made in Canada food chain. 
If any of you have any questions or comments on proposed legislation or any other federally-related matter I encourage you to contact me by email at ron@cannan.ca or by phone at 470-5075.

Ron Cannan is the MP for Kelowna-Lake Country.