Justice Minister Defends Bill Removing Mandatory Minimum Sentences Under Senate Review

Justice Minister Defends Bill Removing Mandatory Minimum Sentences Under Senate Review
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti responds to a question during a news conference on Nov. 26, 2021 in Ottawa. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld
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Defending his government’s bill to remove mandatory minimum sentences before a Senate committee, Attorney General and Justice Minister David Lametti said individuals in dire financial circumstances who are arrested for dealing small amounts of illegal drugs shouldn’t be incarcerated.

Testifying before the Senate legal committee on Sept. 21, Lametti said that minimum mandatory penalties were having a “negative impact” on black and indigenous communities.