Bill C-17 explained in plain English

This document is a record of the House of Commons sitting on April 23, 2010. The House considered Bill C-4, concerning amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Several members from different parties debated the bill, raising various points about youth crime, rehabilitation, sentencing, and societal factors. The sitting also included statements by members on various topics, oral questions on ethics and Afghanistan, and the introduction of Bill C-17, the Combating Terrorism Act. Various committee reports and petitions were also tabled.

During a House of Commons debate at second reading on Bill C-17, the Combating Terrorism Act, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Rob Nicholson, introduced the bill, explaining its purpose was to reinstate investigative hearing and recognizance with conditions provisions, which had previously expired. He outlined the safeguards included in the bill to balance effectiveness with human rights. Opposition members, including Mark Holland (Liberal) and Joe Comartin (NDP), raised concerns about the bill's necessity, its potential impact on fundamental rights, and the government's lengthy delay in bringing it forward. Other parties, like the Bloc Québécois and NDP, expressed opposition, citing a lack of evidence for the bill's necessity and concerns about potential abuses of power and the erosion of civil liberties. The debate included discussions on international comparisons of similar legislation and arguments about the balance between security and individual freedoms. The discussion on Bill C-17 was preceded by a debate on Bill C-300, regarding corporate accountability of mining companies abroad, which was at the report stage.

This document is a record of the House of Commons debate on September 21, 2010, concerning Bill C-17, which aimed to amend the Criminal Code regarding investigative hearings and recognizances with conditions. The debate involved members from various parties discussing the necessity and potential impact of these anti-terrorism measures on civil liberties and public security. Key themes included the balance between security and individual rights, the historical context of these provisions (which had previously expired under a sunset clause), concerns about potential misuse, and the effectiveness of existing Criminal Code provisions.

On September 22, 2010, the House of Commons debated and referred Bill C-17, concerning investigative hearings and recognizances with conditions, to a committee. The House also debated and referred Bill C-391, related to repealing the long-gun registry, to a committee. Additionally, extensive debate occurred regarding Bill C-35, aimed at cracking down on crooked immigration consultants, which was also referred to a committee. The sitting also included statements by members on various topics, oral questions on the economy and other issues, and routine proceedings such as tabling reports and introducing other bills.

This artifact is a record of a sitting of the House of Commons on March 2, 2011. During this sitting, the House engaged in various procedural activities, including Statements by Members, Oral Questions, Routine Proceedings, Government Orders, and Private Members' Business. Specifically related to Bill C-17, the artifact indicates that the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security presented its seventh report, stating they had studied Bill C-17 (An Act to amend the Criminal Code (investigative hearing and recognizance with conditions)) and reported it back to the House with amendments. The artifact does not detail the content of these amendments or any subsequent debate or vote on Bill C-17 itself during this particular sitting. Other legislative items and debates on unrelated bills were also discussed.