Bill C-54

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First Reading

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2nd Session, 40th Parliament,

57-58 Elizabeth II, 2009

house of commons of canada

BILL C-54

An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to the National Defence Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Protecting Canadians by Ending Sentence Discounts for Multiple Murders Act.

R.S., c. C-46

CRIMINAL CODE

2. Section 675 of the Criminal Code is amended by adding the following after subsection (2.2):

Appeal against s. 745.51(1) order

(2.3) A person against whom an order under subsection 745.51(1) has been made may appeal to the court of appeal against the order.

3. Section 676 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (5):

Appeal against decision not to make s. 745.51(1) order

(6) The Attorney General or counsel instructed by the Attorney General for the purpose may appeal to the court of appeal against the decision of the court not to make an order under subsection 745.51(1).

4. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 745.2:

Recommendation by jury — multiple murders

745.21 (1) Where a jury finds an accused guilty of murder and that accused has previously been convicted of murder, the judge presiding at the trial shall, before discharging the jury, put to them the following question:

You have found the accused guilty of murder. The law requires that I now pronounce a sentence of imprisonment for life against the accused. Do you wish to make any recommendation with respect to the period without eligibility for parole to be served for this murder consecutively to the period without eligibility for parole imposed for the previous murder? You are not required to make any recommendation, but if you do, your recommendation will be considered by me when I make my determination.

Application

(2) Subsection (1) applies to an offender who is convicted of murders committed on a day after the day on which this section comes into force and for which the offender is sentenced under this Act, the National Defence Act or the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.

5. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 745.5:

Ineligibility for parole — multiple murders

745.51 (1) At the time of the sentencing under section 745 of an offender who is convicted of murder and who has already been convicted of one or more other murders, the judge who presided at the trial of the offender or, if that judge is unable to do so, any judge of the same court may, having regard to the character of the offender, the nature of the offence and the circumstances surrounding its commission, and the recommendation, if any, made pursuant to section 745.21, by order, decide that the periods without eligibility for parole for each murder conviction are to be served consecutively.

Reasons

(2) If a judge decides not to make an order under subsection (1), the judge shall give, either orally or in writing, reasons for the decision.

Application

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) apply to an offender who is convicted of murders committed on a day after the day on which this section comes into force and for which the offender is sentenced under this Act, the National Defence Act or the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.

R.S., c. N-5

NATIONAL DEFENCE ACT

1998, c. 35, s. 36

6. Paragraph 140.3(2)(a) of the National Defence Act is replaced by the following:

(a) a reference in sections 745.2 to 745.3 of the Criminal Code to a jury is deemed to be a reference to the panel of a General Court Martial; and

7. Section 149 of the Act is replaced by the following:

Concurrent punishment

149. Where a person is under a sentence imposed by a service tribunal that includes a punishment involving incarceration and another service tribunal subsequently passes a new sentence that also includes a punishment involv- ing incarceration, both punishments of incarceration shall, subject to section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, after the date of the pronouncement of the new sentence, run concurrently but the punishment higher in the scale of punishments shall be served first.

8. Section 230 of the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (a):

(a.1) the decision to make an order under subsection 745.51(1) of the Criminal Code;

9. Section 230.1 of the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (a):

(a.1) the decision not to make an order under subsection 745.51(1) of the Criminal Code;

COMING INTO FORCE

Order in council

10. This Act comes into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.

Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons

Available from:
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Explanatory Notes

Criminal Code

Clause 2: New.

Clause 3: New.

Clause 4: New.

Clause 5: New.

National Defence Act

Clause 6: Relevant portion of subsection 140.3(2):

(2) Sections 745.1 to 746.1 of the Criminal Code apply, with any modifications that the circumstances require, to a sentence of life imprisonment imposed under this Act, and

(a) a reference in sections 745.2 and 745.3 of the Criminal Code to a jury is deemed to be a reference to the panel of a General Court Martial; and

Clause 7: Existing text of section 149:

149. Where a person is under a sentence imposed by a service tribunal that includes a punishment involving incarceration and another service tribunal subsequently passes a new sentence that also includes a punishment involving incarceration, both punishments of incarceration shall, after the date of the pronouncement of the new sentence, run concurrently but the punishment higher in the scale of punishments shall be served first.

Clause 8: Relevant portion of section 230:

230. Every person subject to the Code of Service Discipline has, subject to subsection 232(3), the right to appeal to the Court Martial Appeal Court from a court martial in respect of any of the following matters:

Clause 9: Relevant portion of section 230.1:

230.1 The Minister, or counsel instructed by the Minister for that purpose, has, subject to subsection 232(3), the right to appeal to the Court Martial Appeal Court from a court martial in respect of any of the following matters: