Several Conservative politicians say the federal government should invoke the notwithstanding clause, following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling on consecutive sentencing periods for murderers..On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled the gunman who killed six people in a Quebec City mosque in 2017 cannot wait more than 25 years before being eligible for parole.The Court's decision overturns a provision introduced by Stephen Harper's Conservative government in 2011 that gave judges discretionary powers to hand out consecutive, 25-year blocks of parole ineligibility periods for multiple first-degree murders.Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre said he could "not imagine" how families of the victims were feeling."As prime minister, I will use the notwithstanding clause to restore the law so that every life taken counts again in a killer's sentence and that the worst murderers stay behind the bars for life," the MP for Carleton, Ontario said.Poilievre added that the "first duty" of government is to keep people safe, and he would ensure that "every life is valued and that mass killers face the full consequences of their actions."Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also said he would invoke the notwithstanding clause if he became prime minister in order to "keep this terrorist killer behind bars, for life.""We need to send the strongest possible message that terrorism will not be tolerated in our country, and that starts with making sure the Quebec Mosque shooter spends his life behind bars," he said.Unfortunately, Justin Trudeau has a history of putting the rights of terrorists ahead of the rights of victims," Brown added. "He will never use the notwithstanding clause to put terrorists behind bars for life. It’s sad, but true."Conservative leadership candidate and former Quebec premier Jean Charest did not commit to invoking the notwithstanding clause, but reiterated that his government would seek tougher sentences for those who commit hate crimes.Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner also said "all options should be considered," including changing the criminal code to make the sentencing of mass murderers focus on punishment instead of rehabilitation, or using the notwithstanding clause.."This decision will affect sentences for the most serious crimes across the country, opening the door to the release of those convicted of mass murder back into society.".The MP for Calgary Nose Hill added that the court ruling was in contradiction to a ruling made in 2021 by the Alberta Court of Appeals, which said there should be no “volume discount” for heinous multiple murders. .She said the families of the victims of these murderers could be re-traumatized by being confronted with the potential eventual release of murderers like Douglas Garland, Edward Downey and Travis Baumgartner.."The prime minister, the government of Canada and Parliament has a duty first and foremost to stand with victims of these atrocious crimes.”
