One Law for All

Whereas a 2013 Supreme Court ruling allows judges to consider immigration status when sentencing non-citizens;

Whereas fairness and equal treatment under the law are fundamental principles of Canadian justice.

Whereas this has led to cases where convicted non-citizens received lighter sentences to avoid immigration consequences, including a permanent resident who avoided jail after trying to buy sex from a 15-year-old, a visitor who was discharged after sexually assaulting a young woman, in order to preserve their ability to remain in Canada, and a non-citizen who had been caught with 55 grams of cocaine while on bail – GPS monitor and all – awaiting sentencing for previous drug and gun offences;

Whereas this has created a two-tier justice system where non-citizens can receive more lenient treatment than Canadian citizens;

Whereas all individuals seeking to live in Canada should be held to the same legal standards, and public safety must come before immigration considerations;

Therefore, we the undersigned call on the Liberal government to support Conservative legislation to amend the Criminal Code to ensure that the immigration status of a convicted non-citizen or that of their family members cannot be used to justify a lighter sentence.