No More Discounts for Sexual Predators

There’s a special delight every consumer knows—the moment you realize you’re paying less than you expected. Discounts are always a win, whether it’s 15 per cent off, buy one get the other half-off, or even better—buy one get one free.

As great as these discounts are— they belong in stores, not in courtrooms.

Unfortunately, discounts are handed out far too often in criminal justice sentencing. One of these discounts is concurrent sentencing, which allows offenders to serve a single sentence for multiple crimes, often reducing their time behind bars significantly.

This type of sentencing is even applied to the most egregious crimes like sexual assault and violence. These are crimes that rob individuals of their dignity and violate them in deep ways. Concurrent sentencing should never be allowed for sexual assault.

I’m proud to address this with my Private Member’s Bill, C-246: the Ending Sentence Reductions for Sexual Predators Act. This Act will mandate consecutive sentencing, rather than concurrent sentencing, for individuals convicted of sexual offences. In plain terms, sexual predators will no longer be able to compress their crimes and walk away with a reduced sentence. Each crime will carry its own penalty, and each victim will receive the recognition they deserve.

Currently, consecutive sentences are primarily applied to crimes against children. This approach should extend to adults as well—sexual assault, whether against a child or an adult, demands the full force of the law.

In Canada, the maximum sentence for a break-in or a violent robbery is life imprisonment. In sharp contrast, the maximum penalty for sexual violence is 10 years for an adult victim and 14 years for a victim under the age of 16. A sexual offence robs an individual of their dignity and consent, yet property crime and robbery are treated more severely than sexual offences. It’s completely unacceptable.

For far too long, the scales of the justice system have been tilted in favour of criminals. Liberal soft-on-crime policies have left victims vulnerable. Since 2015, sexual assaults are up nearly 75 per cent, while offences against children are up 120 per cent.

These aren’t just numbers; they are real people.

In Toronto, a family doctor, George Polemidiotis, was charged with nine counts of sexual assault and four counts of sexual exploitation involving three patients. Despite these intrusive and grave crimes, he was handed a concurrent sentence of three-and-a-half years in prison.

These patients were supposed to feel safe and cared for by their doctor. Instead, they left the clinic feeling violated. The man responsible for such profound harm will serve only a short sentence, while his victims will carry the weight of their suffering for the rest of their lives. It’s unthinkable! This sentence not only denies the victims of justice but also inflicts further distress as they struggle to heal while facing the reality that their abuser will soon walk free in society again.

A second case highlighting Canada’s broken justice system is that of Kashif Ramzan in British Columbia. Ramzan pretended to be a talent agent with influence in the modelling world and deceived two teens into attending “auditions.” At these auditions, he sexually assaulted the two women.

This man preyed on the hopes and dreams of these young women and violated their dignity.

Ramzan pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and was sentenced to 18 months for the first charge and two years for the second charge, to be served concurrently. Once again, the justice system failed these women. Each woman should have been granted the justice of seeing him serve a full sentence for the offence committed against each of them as an individual.

Whether a sexual offence is committed repeatedly against one person or once against many, justice demands it be answered in full. Sentences must be served consecutively.

It’s time to put victims first. Sexual offences should never be a two-for-one deal.

Each offence is a distinct harm. Each victim is a whole person. And each act must carry its own consequence.

Justice is not something to be discounted or bundled. It demands full recognition and full accountability for every crime and every victim.

If you agree that sexual predators shouldn’t receive reduced sentences, please take a moment to send a quick email to the Minister of Justice, Sean Fraser: mcu@justice.gc.ca

Your email doesn’t need to be long. Two sentences will do: “Please stand with victims of sexual assault by ending reduced sentences for sexual predators. Please support Bill C-246: the Ending Sentence Reductions for Sexual Predators Act.”

Standing up for Alberta's Interests, Affordability, and Safer Streets

After a summer of pancake breakfasts, festivals, and kitchen-table conversations, one message stood out: Canadians are worried. Families are anxious about how Alberta is treated, the rising cost of living, and surging crime.

As Parliament resumes, my priorities are clear: be Alberta’s voice, fight for affordability, and tackle crime.

Advocating for Alberta’s Interests

Albertans have long felt ignored by Ottawa. We supply the country with energy, food, and innovation, yet federal policies strangle development, undercut agriculture, and dismiss our strengths. This fall, Conservatives are advancing a bold solution: the Canadian Sovereignty Act.

The need is urgent. Canada is losing ground on multiple fronts. President Trump’s new tariffs are hammering workers and businesses on both sides of the border. Beijing has now imposed a 75% tariff on Canadian canola seed, on top of 100% tariffs on canola meal, peas, pork, and seafood. That effectively locks Canadian producers out of a market worth $5 billion in 2024.

Canadian agriculture is a superpower — one of the few advantages that sets us apart in a hungry world. Alberta farmers don’t just feed Canadians; they help feed the globe. Yet instead of defending them, Prime Minister Mark Carney has failed to resolve disputes and left producers paying the price. He promised Canadians he was a master negotiator. Instead, he is losing trade wars across the world. The U.S. has doubled tariffs on softwood lumber. Mexico refuses to engage in bilateral deals. Europe has chosen to buy $750 billion worth of U.S. — not Canadian — energy.

Canada cannot afford weakness. Conservatives believe ambition means rejecting the status quo and holding Mr. Carney to his promise to “think big and act bigger.” That’s why we are calling on Parliament to pass the Canadian Sovereignty Act:

• Legalize rapid resource development by repealing Liberal laws like Bill C-69, Bill C-48, the carbon tax, the oil and gas cap, the EV mandate, the plastics ban, and censorship rules that gag Canadian energy producers.

• Reward builders with tax incentives that eliminate capital gains on reinvestments and bonuses for provinces that open markets to fellow Canadians.

• Protect Canadian innovation by preventing the sell-off of intellectual property to competitors.

• Stand up for Canadian agriculture by ensuring farmers are protected from punitive tariffs and that our food exports remain competitive on the global stage.

By March 14, the one-year anniversary of Carney’s tenure, Conservatives expect progress on two major pipelines, a road to the Ring of Fire, and a new LNG project—while respecting Indigenous rights under Section 35. Leadership is being tested, and Conservatives are ready to collaborate to get it done. The Liberals have the tools and the power; what they lack is the will.

Restoring Affordability

Fall is traditionally a season of new beginnings, especially for students returning to school. Yet basic supplies are increasingly out of reach. From high unemployment to the Liberals’ cost-of-living crisis, Canadians are struggling. Sun Youth reports that school supplies alone have jumped 17% since last year, on top of rising grocery bills, rent, and other essentials.

The Liberal electric vehicle mandate raises costs by about $20,000 per vehicle and reduces choice—particularly for rural Canadians who face long distances, limited charging, and harsh winters. Meanwhile, the Liberals are quietly implementing another carbon tax through the Clean Fuel Regulations, increasing fuel prices 17 cents per litre by 2030, or $136 more per household annually. Single mothers, seniors on fixed incomes, rural households, and transit users will bear the brunt. Conservatives will fight to lower costs, strengthen take-home pay, and grow the economy.

Tackling Crime

Canada is less safe under the Liberals. Since 2015, gun crime has risen 130%, violent crime nearly 55%, homicides over 29%, sexual assaults almost 76%, fraud 94%, and extortion 330%. Yet soft-on-crime policies like Bills C-5 and C-75 have created a revolving door for repeat offenders. Soft sentences for serious crimes, including sexual exploitation and child pornography, endanger communities.

Female victims of domestic violence continue to rise, highlighted by tragic cases such as the murder of an ex-wife just hours after her abuser’s release. Cases like these prove that Liberal policies favour criminals over Canadians. Conservatives will repeal reckless laws, strengthen bail rules, deport temporary residents convicted of crimes, and give law enforcement the tools needed to restore safety. Canadians deserve to walk their streets without fear.

This fall, my Conservative colleagues and I are eager to hold the Liberal government to account and advocate for our great country and the people who call it home. Canadians deserve leadership that delivers results, restores common sense, and protects families and communities. It’s time for Ottawa to act.

Lethbridge Herald: Canada’s Revolving Door of Justice Is Costing Lives

“If you want to commit a crime, come to Canada.”

These were the harrowing words spoken by the mother of Laura Furlan after her daughter was brutally murdered in a Calgary park by Christopher Ward Dunlop. Fifteen years later, on February 16, 2025, Dunlop claimed another life—that of Judy Maerz—in the very same park.

The comment may sound extreme, but it reflects a hard and painful truth: Canada’s justice system is failing. A known killer was given the freedom to reoffend. Two women are dead, and two families are forever changed—all because a violent offender was granted another chance.

Statistics Canada reports that violent crime has surged by 55 per cent in recent years. While many factors contribute to this increase, there’s no denying the role of weak bail policies and a soft-on-crime approach that has turned the justice system into a revolving door for repeat offenders.

What we’re seeing is not just a policy failure—it’s a public safety crisis.

In July, Bailey McCourt—a mother of two from Kelowna, B.C.—was brutally attacked and killed with a hammer. The man charged with her murder was her ex-husband, James Plover. He now faces a second-degree murder charge and is waiting to be sentenced.

At the time of the murder, Plover was out on bail. His release cost just $500.

To McCourt’s grieving family, this isn’t just shocking—it’s proof that something is deeply wrong with Canada’s bail system. In response, they’ve put forward four recommendations to the federal government. At the top of the list: reforming bail rules for high-risk domestic offenders.

They’re also asking that courts be required to consider lethality risk indicators—warning signs that suggest a person may seriously harm or kill their partner—when deciding whether someone should be granted bail.

This tragedy, and the weak legal response that followed, has left many Canadians wondering: how many more lives have to be lost before meaningful change is made?

Sadly, this pattern repeats itself across the country. In December 2022, Const. Greg Pierzchala of Ontario was shot and killed in the line of duty by two men—both out on bail. Const. Pierzchala’s death sparked a rare and unified call to action from Canada’s leading police associations. Officers across the country are urging the federal government to reform the very bail policies that allowed this tragedy to happen.

Despite clear evidence that the system is broken, the government continues to delay meaningful reform. When Conservative MP Frank Caputo raised the issue during debate on Bill C-2, highlighting that the legislation did not address bail, Liberal MPs mocked him.

Canadians want and deserve bail reform. We want a justice system that takes violent offenders seriously and prioritizes the safety of law-abiding citizens over the comfort of criminals.

It is unacceptable that someone who plots to bomb a synagogue, stating his goal was “to kill as many Jews as possible,” walks away with 60 days of house arrest. This is not justice—it is a dangerous erosion of public trust.

Just last month in Ontario, 36-year-old Medhani Yohans—already facing charges related to violence and sexual assault—was arrested again only 24 hours after being released. His new charges included breaching probation, disobeying court orders, and criminal harassment.

This cycle of release and reoffending is exhausting our police forces, putting communities at risk, and leaving victims without protection. A justice system that allows repeat offenders to walk free is one that fails in its most basic duty.

Law enforcement officials have told me directly: they are frustrated, exhausted, and demoralized. They work hard to keep us safe, only to see their efforts undone by weak policies that favour offenders over public safety.

Across Canada, people are losing faith in the justice system—and rightly so. The message being sent is that even the most serious crimes carry little consequence, and that repeat offenders will be given endless second chances.

We cannot let that message stand.

The lives of Laura Furlan, Judy Maerz, Bailey McCourt, and Constable Greg Pierzchala were not just statistics. They were people with families, futures, and the right to feel safe in their own communities. Their deaths are the direct result of a system that refuses to adapt to the growing threat of violent crime.

Bail reform is not a partisan demand. It is a moral imperative. It is the bare minimum we should expect from a government responsible for protecting its citizens.

Bail reform isn’t just a political debate; it’s a matter of life and death.