OTTAWA, November 22, 2011 – Tom Lukiwski, Member of Parliament for Regina – Lumsden – Lake Centre, applauded today’s re-introduction of legislation to expand and simplify the laws with respect to self-defence and defence of property, and expand the circumstances in which a law-abiding Canadian can make a citizen’s arrest.
"Our Government is committed to putting real criminals behind bars. Canadians who have been the victim of a crime should not be re-victimized by the criminal justice system", said Lukiwski. "Canadians want to know they are able to protect themselves against criminal acts and that the justice system is behind them, not against them."
Currently, the ability to make a citizen’s arrest is very restrictive and is only permitted if an individual is caught actively engaged in a criminal offence on or in relation to their property.
The Citizens Arrest and Self-Defence Act would build on the existing legislation and would authorize an owner, a person in lawful possession of property, or a person authorized by them to arrest a person within a reasonable amount of time after having found a person committing a criminal offence either:
- on their property (e.g. the offence occurs in their yard); or
- in relation to their property (e.g. their property is stolen from a public parking lot).
"The legislation in no way compromises the principle that police are the first line of protection against crime. Police will continue to have the responsibility to preserve and maintain public peace as Canada’s first and foremost criminal law enforcement body", said Lukiwski. "The legislation simply recognizes that the police cannot be everywhere at once and that Canadians must be able to protect themselves and their property in urgent situations."
This bill follows the introduction of the Safe Streets and Communities Act, one of the key initiatives the Government has taken to help make Canada a safer and more secure place for law-abiding Canadians and their families.
