Question – Pardon Fees

Mr. Merv Tweed (Brandon—Souris, CPC): Mr. Speaker, recently our government increased user fees for pardons, soon to be known as criminal record suspensions, to reflect the real cost to the taxpayer. Law-abiding Canadians are required to pay their own way and we believe that criminals should as well. Some have complained that these measures and too harsh on criminals and that pardons should be handed out more freely.

Could the Minister of Public Safety please comment on the recent changes to the pardon system?

Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Public Safety, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his work on this matter. Pardons are not a right and that is why our government implemented a process where criminals pay their own way rather than being subsidized by taxpayers. Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to stop the troubling practice of putting criminals’ interests ahead of the rights of victims. We will not apologize for ensuring only the deserving receive pardons.