Conservative MP Calls for Immediate Deportation of Non-Citizens Convicted of Child Rape Amidst Bill C-220 Debate

Conservative Member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner has reiterated her strong stance that non-citizens convicted of raping young girls should be deported, a position she articulated in a recent social media post. "Non-citizens convicted of raping little girls should be deported," Rempel Garner stated, emphasizing her long-standing advocacy for stricter immigration enforcement for serious offenders. This statement comes amidst ongoing parliamentary debate surrounding her private member's bill, C-220, aimed at preventing judges from considering an offender's immigration status during sentencing.

Rempel Garner, the Conservative Shadow Minister for Immigration, has been a vocal critic of what she terms a "two-tier justice system" in Canada. She argues that current judicial practices sometimes lead to more lenient sentences for non-citizens convicted of serious crimes to help them avoid deportation, creating an unfair disparity compared to Canadian citizens. Her proposed Bill C-220 seeks to amend the Criminal Code to explicitly prohibit judges from considering the potential impact of a sentence on a non-citizen offender's immigration status.

The push for this legislation gained momentum following several high-profile cases, including one where a non-citizen accused of raping a 13-year-old girl was granted an adjournment to assess the impact of a guilty plea on his immigration status. Rempel Garner and the Conservative party contend that such considerations undermine the justice system and the safety of Canadians. They advocate for a policy where non-citizens convicted of serious crimes, particularly violent and sexual offenses, face the same legal consequences as citizens and are subsequently removed from the country.

Liberal Members of Parliament have countered that provisions are already in place for the removal of non-citizens who commit crimes, with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) prioritizing such cases. However, Rempel Garner asserts that existing loopholes in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act allow non-citizens convicted of serious crimes, such as sexual assault, to avoid deportation if their sentence is less than six months. The debate highlights a significant policy divide on how Canada should handle non-citizen offenders and the balance between judicial discretion and public safety.