Justice Minister Defends Bill to Remove Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug, Firearm Offences

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti delivers a statement on Bill C-7 during a media availability on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, on March 11, 2021. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

Justice Minister David Lametti on Wednesday pushed for Parliament’s second reading of a bill that would remove mandatory minimum penalties for all drugs and several gun-related crimes.

In February, the Liberal government introduced Bill C-22, which seeks to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) to repeal mandatory minimum penalties (MMPs) for all drug offences and several gun-related crimes.