Poilievre Would Use Notwithstanding Clause for Consecutive Murder Sentences, Carney Vows Defence Procurement Reform

(L–R) Liberal Leader Mark Carney; Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick; Adrian Wyld

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has promised to overhaul defence procurement to support Canadian sovereignty and domestic industry, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pledged to restore consecutive sentences for multiple counts of murder, on day 23 of the election campaign.

Carney made the defence procurement announcement at a campaign stop in Dorval, Que., on April 14, saying that threats to Canada’s sovereignty “are multiplying,” and that a new Liberal government would boost national defence as well as the domestic industry.

“We have to give our armed forces the new resources that they need to defend our sovereignty with a made-in-Canada defence procurement approach that will help our defence businesses to grow here at home, all while diversifying their markets and growing their cooperation and sales abroad,” Carney said.

Last month, the Liberal leader pledged to buy new submarines, heavy-duty ice breakers, and drone fleets.  He also said he would give the Canadian Armed Forces a pay raise while modernizing its recruitment process to fill the current shortage of 14,500 members.

During his April 14 address, Carney said he would streamline defence purchasing by creating a new procurement agency, updating procurement rules, and amending related legislation or regulations. He also said new defence deals would prioritize Canadian raw materials, such as steel, aluminum, and critical minerals, when possible.

Carney said he would also put focus on advanced research and development in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.

The Liberals say they will also expand the CanExport program to help Canadian defence businesses grow their international exports, with a focus on “diversifying from the United States.”

The Conservatives’ shadow defence minister James Bezan called Carney’s plan a “hollow promise.”

“After the Lost Liberal decade, our allies have been let down and our troops neglected, Bezan said in an April 14 social media post. “Today’s announcement by Mark Carney is just another hollow promise that seeks to once again fix all of the problems caused by Liberals’ bureaucracy and red tape.”

Carney has committed to meeting NATO’s defence spending target of 2 percent of GDP by 2030—two years earlier than the previous Trudeau government’s timeline–as Canada has been under pressure from allies to increase military spending. At the April 14 press conference, Carney said he would increase defence spending “in a way that grows our economy, grows good jobs, grows strong companies, and grows in the future.”

The Conservatives have similarly pledged to meet the NATO spending benchmark.

“We will hit our 2 percent, we will take back control of our Arctic waters from the Chinese and the Russians, we will rebuild our military, and we'll become a truly sovereign nation with a strong Armed Forces that can protect us,” Poilievre said on April 2..

“We will not do this to please President Trump. We will do it because it is right for Canada.”

Consecutive Sentences for Multiple Murders

During a campaign stop in Montreal on April 14, Poilievre said a Conservative government would invoke the charter’s notwithstanding clause to allow judges to impose consecutive prison sentences for anyone convicted of multiple counts of murder and remove the possibility of parole after 25 years.

He said current policies are “violating the rights of law-abiding people to live in peace and security” by reducing sentences for offenders with multiple convictions.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2022 that the Criminal Code provision allowing stacked life sentences violates charter rights. Justice Richard Wagner wrote in a unanimous decision that the provision, introduced by Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in 2011, was “incompatible with human dignity” and constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Poilievre said the current policies “put the so-called rights of criminals ahead of the rights of law-abiding Canadians.”

“Parliament has the legitimate constitutional authority and the moral duty to correct this injustice and restore common sense sentencing with no more discounts for multiple murderers,” Poilievre said. “Every life matters, and someone who takes multiple lives should be held accountable for each one.”

He said a new Conservative government would reintroduce the “Protecting Canadians by Ending Sentence Discounts for Multiple Murders Act,” passed by Parliament in 2011 and dismissed as unconstitutional in 2022, to impose consecutive parole ineligibility periods on individuals convicted of multiple murders.

This would be the first time a federal government uses the notwithstanding clause, also known as Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to pass a law.

The initiative adds to other measures the Conservative leader has proposed to address crime. Poilievre last week said his government would enact a “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” law that would prevent those convicted of three serious offences from getting bail, probation, parole, or house arrest, while ensuring they get a minimum prison sentence of 10 years.

Poilievre has also pledged to give life sentences to major traffickers of people, drugs, and firearms, and vowed to implement tougher sentences linked to intimate partner violence.

When asked on April 14 whether he respects the Supreme Court’s decisions, Poilievre said he does, “and I also respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees life, liberty, and the security of the person to every single Canadian,” he said.

Asked about Poilievre’s proposal, Carney called using the notwithstanding clause to pass legislation a “very dangerous step,” arguing that a prime minister’s responsibility is to defend the charter.

“Politicizing certain issues with respect to fundamental rights is a slippery slope that leads to further politicization,” said Carney. “Being tough on crime and being tough starts with being smart on crime, and it includes being tough on guns and gun violence.”

During his policy announcement, Poilievre was asked to provide an example of a mass murderer being set free. He responded that such cases have not yet occurred since the Supreme Court ruling is only a few years old. He added that if the current policy remains unchanged, violent offenders could become eligible for parole in 25 years.

“The principle of a fair justice system is proportionality, and when you kill six people, to be eligible to go back on the streets only 25 years later is not only disproportionate, but it is a violation of the charter rights of the victims and of their families,” Poilievre said.

Noé Chartier and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.