Making Canadians Safer-Bill and Sentencing Reform Act.Anthony Housefather

Dear Friends,

 

Here are the topics of this week’s update

 

1. Making Canadians Safer-Bill and Sentencing Reform Act 
2. In the Riding
3. In the House
4. Build. Take Control. Win: Canada’s Economic Plan Ahead of Budget 2025
5. Donald Trump
6. Support for Black Entrepreneurs
7. Building Canada’s Future through Trade Diversification

 

Making Canadians Safer-Bill and Sentencing Reform Act

 

One of my biggest priorities has been to push our government on measures to keep communities safe.  In the last election one of the most important issues I heard at doors was lack of safety.  A few weeks ago we introduced the Combatting Hate Act which is now before the Justice Committee and I am sitting in on those meetings.  On Thursday we introduced the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act.  This bill   contains sweeping reforms to make bail laws stricter and toughen sentencing laws for repeat and violent offenders, support front line law enforcement officers, and invest in long-term crime prevention. The reforms would introduce over 80 clauses targeted changes to the bail and sentencing framework in the Criminal Code, including:

 

Stricter bail laws 

• Make bail stricter and more difficult to get, including in cases of repeat and violent offending.
• Create new reverse onuses, meaning the starting point is detention and the accused would have to prove why they should be released on bail.
• Direct police and courts not to release an accused when it is against the public interest or when detention is needed to protect victims, witnesses, or children.
• Courts would also be required to consider specific factors, including if the allegations involved random or unprovoked violence and if the accused has any outstanding charges, and to set stricter conditions, including weapons bans.

 

Tougher sentences 

• Toughen sentencing laws for repeat and violent crime, including car theft and extortion, meaning those found guilty can spend more time in prison.
• Direct judges to order consecutive sentences for repeat violent offending, for auto theft and break and enter, and extortion and arson, which means serving one sentence after another instead of serving sentences for multiple offences at the same time.
• New aggravating factors would apply to crimes against first responders, retail theft, and theft or mischief that harms essential infrastructure.
• End house arrest for certain sexual assault and child sexual offences, restore driving prohibitions for criminal negligence causing bodily harm and death and manslaughter, and strengthen fine enforcement.

For more information about this Bill and a complete list of the sweeping measures: See the news release here.

 

In the Riding

 

Last weekend, I had the honour to have joined the Jamaica Associations Annual Hero’s and Heroine’s Ball again this year. A special thank you to Mark Henry, for all his years of service as President of the Association. Thank you for your dedication to the JAM.

 

I also served as the induction officer as we swore in the new Executive of FAMAS at Saint Kevin’s Church. Congratulations to Jojo and his team. I look forward to working with all of you over the next two years.

 

On Thursday, I returned to Montreal to join an event at ClickSpace AI, an amazing new venture. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Services Minister Evan Solomon joined me at an event discussing the future of artificial intelligence and digital innovation in Montreal. Thanks so much to Lorne Lieberman, Moshe Yavlovsky and Margaux Chetrit for organizing such a fantastic event.

 

In the House

 

This week, I delivered a statement in the House welcoming the leadership of Jewish federations and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs to Ottawa and calling on support for Parliamentarians from all parties to stand up against the anti-Jewish hate that has grown exponentially in the Western world over the last two years. As I stated, “it must end”.

 

You can find the statement at:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1K67w9PafA/

 

I serve on the House Public Accounts Committee and this week we heard from the Auditor General, who issued new reports this week on Revenue Canada, armed forces recruitment and housing, daycare and cybersecurity. We then dove into the most damning report which is focused on the lack of customer service at Revenue Canada with response times being too long and too frequently inaccurate. Revenue Canada has moved forward with a 100 day plan to improve its service and we grilled the representatives of Revenue Canada on progress.

 

I am also sitting in on the Justice Committee as we study the Combatting Hate Act and we heard from two panels of witnesses including our riding’s own Brandon Silver who works with Irwin Cotler at the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights.  I am absolutely committed to do everything I can do to make sure this bill passes and becomes law.

 

Build. Take Control. Win: Canada’s Economic Plan Ahead of Budget 2025

 

Prime Minister Mark Carney made a speech at the University of Ottawa  outlining the new government’s plan to build a stronger economy, in advance of Budget 2025. Canada has what the world wants, the values to which others aspire, and we are a nation of adventurers, risk takers, and builders. It is time to swing for the fences again – to take control of our future, bet big on ourselves, and play to win.

 

Budget 2025 will cut waste and reduce government spending, so that we can make the big, generational investments to:

• Protect our communities, our borders, and our way of life;
• Build a stronger economy with major projects, homes, and technologies – where everyone has a chance to get ahead; and,
• Empower Canadians with new opportunities, better careers, and a lower cost of living.

 

To watch the Prime Minister’s speech please click here:

PM Mark Carney Delivers Address on Upcoming Federal Budget – October 22, 2025 | Headline Politics | CPAC.ca

 

Donald Trump

 

I know I will be asked about the latest comments from President Trump. He has decided (for the moment) to end trade discussions because he did not like a commercial that the Conservative Government in Ontario put on American airwaves. This would be the same as if the Canadian Government decided to stop trade negotiations’ because we did not like an ad that Michigan’s Democratic Government Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan administration put on Canadian airwaves. I would encourage everyone not to spend too much time being concerned about this.  As we have seen over and over, these positions change quickly and constantly.

 

Support for Black Entrepreneurs

 

We cannot build the strongest economy in the G7 without the full and active participation of all Canadians – including Black entrepreneurs. That is why we have renewed our investment in the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) of $189M so that more Black-owned businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed.

 

With this renewed funding, the BEP’s three components (the Loan Fund, the Knowledge Hub and the Ecosystem Fund) will continue working together to unlock opportunities for Black business owners. Since its launch, the BEP has supported more than 24,000 Black entrepreneurs across Canada whose businesses are now hiring, exporting, and innovating in our communities. Through the Loan Fund, we’ve approved more than $70M in financing, allowing Black entrepreneurs to access the capital they need to succeed.

 

Click here for the news release.

 

Building Canada’s Future through Trade Diversification

 

With nearly 300 million people and an economy valued at more than $2.15 trillion, Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy and one of the fastest growing in the world.

 

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister Maninder Sidhu announced a landmark trade agreement between Canada and Indonesia — a major step forward for Canadian exporters, workers, and businesses looking to expand in this rapidly growing region.

 

This game-changing agreement will eliminate or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, create a more transparent and predictable environment for trade and investment, and open new opportunities for Canadian workers and industries in sectors such as clean technology, agri-food, infrastructure, critical minerals, and financial services.

 

For more information, please see the Prime Minister’s news release.

 

Canada–India Joint Declaration and Bilateral Engagement

 

Earlier this week, Minister Anand met with Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in New Delhi, where they finalized a Canada–India Joint Declaration.

 

This joint statement is a broader reflection of a step-by-step approach to rebuilding the bilateral relationship with India, grounded in public safety, national security, and respect for the Rule of Law. Minister Anand emphasized throughout her meetings that the safety and security of Canadians remains the Government of Canada’s top priority. The Minister reiterated the importance of the ongoing, independent RCMP investigation and continued law-enforcement dialogue with India. She also raised the issue of transnational repression, reaffirming that these acts must be fully and independently investigated in order for the perpetrators to be held to the law.

 

For more information: Canada-India Joint Statement: Renewing momentum towards a stronger partnership – Canada.ca

 

Best,

Anthony