C-351An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (maximum security offenders)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on September 18, 2023
- Status
- Defeated at second reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Requires dangerous offenders and people convicted of more than one first degree murder to be classified and confined as maximum security inmates.
What it does
- Requires the Correctional Service to assign a maximum security classification to any inmate found to be a dangerous offender or convicted of more than one first degree murder.
- Requires those inmates to be confined in a maximum security penitentiary or a maximum security area in a penitentiary.
- Limits transfers for these inmates by making section 29 subject to the new maximum security rule.
- Makes inmates classified as maximum security ineligible for an unescorted temporary absence.
- Sets the bill to come into force three months after royal assent.
Who it affects
- Dangerous offenders
- People with multiple first-degree murder convictions
- Maximum security inmates
- Correctional Service of Canada
Topics
Background
The Corrections and Conditional Release Act lets the Service assign inmates maximum, medium or minimum security classifications. This bill adds a rule for certain inmates to be classified as maximum security.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Defeated here. Defeated
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
2nd reading of Bill C-351, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (maximum security offenders)
Vote 745,
Failed
120 yeato208 nay · 2 paired
Party breakdown for vote 745 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 150 6 Conservative Yea 118 0 0 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Nay 0 24 0 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Yea1 broke ranks 2 1 0 Total 120 208
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalJennifer O'Connell· November 28, 2023
“I am happy to rise to speak to this bill, because it is crucially important that, in this country, we have a conversation about public safety and how inmates are treated, in the sense of maximum, medium and minimum security.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeBernard Généreux· November 28, 2023
“He is a strong advocate for victims' rights who worked long and hard to deliver the first version of this bill. This bill differs from the previous one in one respect.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· November 28, 2023
“I was listening to my colleague who is introducing this bill and he said that he sides with the victims.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPPeter Julian· November 28, 2023
“The question is whether this bill offers some type of solution. I am very concerned by its use of a flawed process within our correctional services that is really the foundation of this particular bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Bill defeated. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.